Sir John Blackler Colton, (23 September 1823 – 6 February 1902) was an Australian politician,

Premier of South Australia The premier of South Australia is the head of government in the state of South Australia, Australia. The Government of South Australia follows the Westminster system, with a Parliament of South Australia acting as the legislature. The premier i ...

and philanthropist. His middle name, Blackler, was used only rarely, as on the birth certificate of his first son.

Background and early career

Colton, a son of farmer William Colton (died 10 July 1849) and his wife Elizabeth Colton, née Blackler (died 1888), was born in

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

, England. He arrived in

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

in December 1839 aboard ''Duchess of Northumberland'' with his parents and siblings, who settled at

McLaren Vale McLaren Vale is a wine region in the Australian state of South Australia located in the Adelaide metropolitan area and centred on the town of McLaren Vale about south of the Adelaide city centre. It is internationally renowned for the wi ...

and started a vineyard. Colton, however, found work in

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

, and at the age of 19 began business for himself as a saddler. He was shrewd, honest and hard-working, and his small shop eventually developed into a large and prosperous wholesale ironmongery and saddlery business, John Colton and Company, which became Harrold, Colton & Company in 1889, then in 1911 Colton, Palmer and Preston Ltd., at the Topham Street corner of

Currie Street Currie Street is a main street in the Adelaide city centre, South Australia.Map
of the

Pirie Street Wesleyan Church where he was an active member for over 50 years.

Political career

In 1859 Colton was elected a member of the

Adelaide City Council The City of Adelaide, also known as the Corporation of the City of Adelaide and Adelaide City Council, is a local government area in the metropolitan area of greater Adelaide, South Australia. It is legally defined as the capital city of Sout ...

, and on 17 November 1862 was returned to the

South Australian House of Assembly The House of Assembly (also known as the lower house) is one of two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia, the other being the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide. Overview The House of Assem ...

for Noarlunga, at the head of the poll. On 3 November 1868 he became commissioner of public works in the Strangways ministry, but when this cabinet was reconstructed in May 1870 he was omitted. He was Mayor of Adelaide 1874–5, and on 3 June 1875 joined the second Boucaut ministry as

Treasurer of South Australia The treasurer of South Australia is the Cabinet (government), Cabinet Minister (government), minister in the Government of South Australia who is responsible for the financial management of South Australia, that state's budget sector. The Urban ...

, but he resigned in March 1876. On 6 June he formed his first ministry as premier and commissioner of public works. His ministry lasted until 26 October 1877, when it resigned after a constitutional struggle with the upper house, which had not been consulted about the new parliamentary buildings. The government, however, had succeeded in passing a liberalized crown lands consolidation bill, and a forward policy of public works in connexion with railways and water supply had been carried out. Colton might have been premier again in June 1881, but stood aside in favour of

Bray Bray may refer to: Places France * Bray, Eure, in the Eure ''département'' * Bray, Saône-et-Loire, in the Saône-et-Loire ''département'' * Bray-Dunes, in the Nord ''département'' * Bray-en-Val, in the Loiret ''département'' * Bray-et-Lû ...

. On 16 June 1884 he became premier and chief secretary in his second ministry, which in the following twelve months passed some very useful legislation, including a public health act, an agricultural crown land act, a pastoral land act, a vermin destruction act and a land and income tax act. The ministry was defeated on 16 June 1885. Seldom had a ministry done so much in so short a time, but Colton was prostrated by overwork and was compelled to live in retirement for some months. On his return to parliament he attempted to lead the opposition, but an attack of paralysis finished his political career and he resigned from parliament in January 1887.

Later years

Colton paid a visit to England and regained some of his health. Henceforth, he gave much of his time to philanthropic work. It was said of him that no society or charitable institution ever appealed to him in vain for either financial or personal assistance, if they could show that their aims were worthy. He took a great interest in

Prince Alfred College Prince Alfred College is a private, independent, day school, day and boarding school for boys, located on Dequetteville Terrace, Kent Town, South Australia, Kent Town, near the Adelaide city centre, centre of Adelaide, South Australia. One of th ...

, and was its treasurer for many years, and was for a time chairman of the board of management of the Adelaide hospital. He was a great advocate for temperance and retained his interest in the

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

Church throughout his life. He was created on 1 January 1891. He died in

on 6 February 1902.

Family

On 4 December 1844, Colton married Mary Cutting (December 1822 – 30 July 1898) who, as "Lady Colton", is remembered as a philanthropist and suffragist. Their family included: *John William Colton (20 January 1848 – 26 December 1906), partner with brother Alfred, later managing director of Harrold, Colton & Co. *Alfred Cutting Colton (27 August 1854 – 29 July 1919) married Eliza Bosisto "Lizzie" Stirling (died 19 March 1947), daughter of George Stirling and niece of Joseph Bosisto CMG (died 8 November 1898), on 10 February 1887, lived at

Lorne, Victoria Lorne is a town in Surf Coast Shire, Victoria, Australia. It is situated on the Louttit Bay and Erskine River and is a popular destination on the Great Ocean Road. At the had a population of 1,114. History Prior to British settlement, Lor ...

, then retired to

Elsternwick, Victoria Elsternwick is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, 9 km south-east of Melbourne's Melbourne city centre, Central Business District, located within the City of Glen Eira local government areas of Victoria ...

, where his brother-in-law, Dr. Robert A. Stirling (1855–1928), had a practice. :*John Stirling Colton (23 May 1888 – 12 April 1951) married Dorothy Isabel Hawkes in 1914 ::*John Blackler Colton (1 August 1918 – 21 December 1996) ::*Dr. Robert Stirling Colton (13 August 1921 - 21 December 2015) *Elizabeth Mary "Bessie" Colton (24 October 1856 – 9 September 1870) *Edwin Blackler Colton (4 May 1859 – 19 August 1916), solicitor of Adelaide, married Emily Gardner Wallace (died 3 January 1922) in 1884 *Ellen Hannah Colton (18 October 1863 – 12 February 1946) lived with her father in Hackney *Frank Septimus Colton (25 May 1865 – 22 August 1902) was a medical practitioner in England

References

External links

* , - , - , - , - , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Colton, John 1823 births 1902 deaths English emigrants to colonial Australia Mayors and lord mayors of Adelaide Premiers of South Australia Australian Methodists Australian Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Members of the South Australian House of Assembly Leaders of the opposition in South Australia Treasurers of South Australia Burials at West Terrace Cemetery 19th-century Australian politicians