Philip Santo

Philip Santo (7 August 1818 – 17 December 1889) was a South Australian politician and businessman.

Philip Santo
South Australian Commissioner of Public Works
In office 8 October 1861 – 17 October 1861
Premier	George Waterhouse
Preceded by	Alexander Hay
Succeeded by	John Lindsay
In office 15 July 1863 – 4 August 1864
Premier	Henry Ayers
Preceded by	William Townsend
Succeeded by	William Milne
In office 20 September 1865 – 23 October 1865
Premier	Henry Ayers
Preceded by	Francis Dutton
Succeeded by	Thomas English
In office 3 May 1867 – 24 September 1868
Premier	Henry Ayers
Preceded by	Thomas English
Succeeded by	William Everard
In office 13 October 1868 – 3 November 1868
Premier	Henry Ayers
Preceded by	William Everard
Succeeded by	John Colton
Personal details
Born	(1818-08-07)7 August 1818 Saltash, Cornwall, England
Died	17 December 1889(1889-12-17) (aged 71) Adelaide, South Australia
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Pean

History

Santo was born at Saltash, Cornwall, and trained to be a carpenter. At the age of 22 he left for South Australia on the ship Brightman, arriving in Adelaide in December 1840. He worked as a builder in Adelaide, then Burra. He moved to Melbourne during the rush to the Victorian goldfields but soon returned to set up a shop in Grote Street near Victoria Square in 1857, then Waymouth Street from 1866, then from 1873 as Philip Santo & Co in Waymouth Street and Lipson Street Port Adelaide; initially selling timber. then building materials then general hardware, riverboats and ships. By 1880 they had diversified into such disparate goods as patent medicines, perfumes and flavourings, American waggons, brooms, "kerosine", "gasoline" and cabinet organs.[1] He was reported as the 1867 purchaser of Levi & Watt's newly-completed warehouse at 96 King William Street (now the site of the Commonwealth Bank) which became a warehouse for drapery wholesaler D. & W. Murray,[2] but it appears he was acting for one T. Martin, an English investor.[3]

Santo's Buildings, Waymouth Street, Adelaide

In 1880 his company erected a new building on Waymouth Street, designed by architect D. Garlick. Tenants included Conigrave & Collison, agents and patent attorneys, and the S.A. Chamber of Manufactures. Santo's company ceased advertising around 1890.

Santo was elected to the South Australian House of Assembly in 1860 for the City of Adelaide district, 1862 and 1865 for East Adelaide then in 1868 for Barossa and was appointed Commissioner of Public works on a number of occasions for various periods, first in the Waterhouse cabinet, then with Henry Ayers to 1868. He lost his seat in 1870, during which year he was elected to the Legislative Council and held that seat for 21 years.[4]

He was an active member of the Christian Church, of which Rev. Thomas Playford and Herbert Hussey were contemporary adherents, and as an Elder frequently preached in their chapels in Grote Street and Bentham Street.

He had residences "Clapham Park" in Mitcham[5] and "Fernleigh House" on West Terrace, Adelaide, where he died.[6]

Family

Santo married Elizabeth Pean (23 September 1816 – 28 February 1904); they had four daughters and one son:

• Mary Maynard Santo (1841–1941) married James Shaw Greer (1835–1890), later mayor of Unley
• Elizabeth Hooper Santo (1845–1923) married James Smith (c. 1842–1900), a business partner of P. Santo, lived at Semaphore
• Jane Santo (1848–1875) married Rev. Thomas Jefferson Gore MA (1839–1923) of the Grote St. church in 1868
• Sarah Santo (1850–1945) married Rev. Thomas Jefferson Gore MA (1839–1923) on 5 October 1876
• Esther Santo (1852–1941)
• Philip Santo, Jr., (11 December 1842 – 13 June 1868) married Albertina Kidner (c. 1845 – 10 December 1909) on 9 October 1866. Philip was a prize-winning student at Adelaide Educational Institution, and worked for a time in his father's shop and had a promising future, but died at an early age from diphtheria,[7] leaving a wife and two daughters, Albertina Mary Santo and Amelia Elizabeth Santo (both married Messent boys). His widow, Albertina, married Dr. W. G. Torr (1853–1939) on 20 December 1892.

South Australian House of Assembly
Preceded by Boyle Finniss	Member for City of Adelaide 1860 – 1862 Served alongside: Thomas Reynolds, James Boucaut, Matthew Moorhouse. Samuel Bakewell, William Parkin	District abolished
New district	Member for East Adelaide 1862 – 1868 Served alongside: Thomas Reynolds, William Bakewell	Succeeded by Robert Cottrell
Preceded by James Martin	Member for Barossa 1868 – 1870 Served alongside: Richard Baker	Succeeded by Walter Duffield
Government offices
Preceded by Alexander Hay	Commissioner of Public Works 8 Oct 1861 – 17 Oct 1861	Succeeded by John Lindsay
Preceded by William Townsend	Commissioner of Public Works 15 Jul 1863 – 4 Aug 1864	Succeeded by William Milne
Preceded by Francis Dutton	Commissioner of Public Works 20 Sep 1865 – 23 Oct 1865	Succeeded by Thomas English
Preceded by Thomas English	Commissioner of Public Works 3 May 1867 – 24 Sep 1868	Succeeded by William Everard
Preceded by William Everard	Commissioner of Public Works 13 Oct 1868 – 3 Nov 1868	Succeeded by John Colton

References

1. General Merchandise South Australian Advertiser 5 April 1886 p.8
2. "Destruction of Messrs. Murray's Drapery Establishment by Fire". South Australian Register. XXXII (6634). South Australia. 10 February 1868. p. 3. Retrieved 20 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
3. "Romantic Adelaide". The Mail (Adelaide). 16 (817). South Australia. 21 January 1928. p. 1. Retrieved 20 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
4. Death of Mr. Philip Santo The Advertiser 18 December 1889 p.5 accessed 15 April 2011
5. "The Adelphian Class". South Australian Register. South Australia. 11 November 1870. p. 6. Retrieved 17 December 2019 – via Trove.
6. Death of Hon. P. Santo South Australian Register 18 December 1889 p.6 accessed 16 April 2011
7. http://saobits.gravesecrets.net/s.html