Angas Parsons

Sir Herbert Angas Parsons, KBE, KC (1872–1945), generally known as Sir Angas Parsons, was a Cornish Australian lawyer, politician and judge.

Herbert Angas Parsons
Sir Herbert Angas Parsons, 1920
Member of the South Australian Parliament for Torrens
In office 1912–1915
Succeeded by	Electorate abolished
Member of the South Australian Parliament for Murray
In office 1918–1921
Personal details
Born	Herbert Angas Parsons (1872-05-23)23 May 1872 North Adelaide
Died	2 November 1945(1945-11-02) (aged 73)
Resting place	North Road Cemetery
Political party	Liberal Union
Spouse(s)	Mary Elsie Bonython
Mother	Rose Parsons
Father	John Langdon Parsons
Alma mater	University of Adelaide
Awards	Kt 1936 KBE in 1945

Early life and education

Parsons was born in North Adelaide on 23 May 1872, the only son of Cornish born minister and politician John Langdon Parsons (1837–1903) and his first wife Rose.[1]

He was educated at Prince Alfred College and Roseworthy Agricultural College before spending three years following "pastoral and financial pursuits". He then studied law at the University of Adelaide, serving his articles with George Ash[2] and graduating in March 1897, aged 24.

Career

He was admitted to the Bar later in 1897.[3] He joined with Patrick McMahon Glynn, KC. in partnership in 1898;[2] they were joined in October 1908 by George McEwin and subsequently by (later Sir) Mellis Napier.

In 1912 he stood for parliament and was elected member of the South Australian House of Assembly for Torrens (1912-1915), and subsequently member for Murray.[4] It was around June of this year that he became universally referred to as "Angas Parsons". He was briefly Attorney-General of South Australia and minister of education in 1915. Parsons was appointed K.C. in 1916, a judge of the Supreme Court in 1921, senior puisne judge in 1927, and acting chief justice in 1935. On occasions Parsons acted as deputy governor and, after his father's death, in 1904 he became consul for Japan.[3]

Service and recognition

Like his father-in-law, he became president of the Cornish Association of South Australia. He was also warden of the University of Adelaide's senate, and vice-chancellor from 1942–1944.

He was knighted in 1936,[5] and appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1945.[6] He retired in 1945 and, having "spent many hours at the Adelaide Club, preferring its convivial atmosphere to his wife's Methodism".[3]

Personal life

On 18 April 1900, Parsons married Mary Elsie Bonython (1874–1956), eldest surviving child of Sir John Langdon Bonython and his wife Mary Louisa Fredericka née Balthasar.[7] They had two sons.

Mary Elsie Parsons served with distinction as Mayoress at official functions for her widowed brother Sir John Lavington Bonython in 1911 and 1912.

Parsons died of cirrhosis on 2 November 1945. Survived by Lady Parsons and their two sons Philip Brendon Angas Parsons (1905– ) and Geoffrey Bonython Parsons (1908– ), he was buried with his parents in North Road Cemetery.[3]

Gallery

• 
  Parsons dressed as the King of Spades for the Adelaide Mayoral Children's Fancy Dress Ball, 1887
• 
  Elsie dressed as a Norwegian fishgirl, 1887
• 
  Elsie's bridesmaids - 18 April 1900; left to right: Elsie Parsons (half sister of bridegroom); Ada & Edith Bonython (sisters of the bride); Winifred Bonython (cousin of the bride)
• 
  Herbert, Elsie, & friend, Garden party at Government House, 1912
• 
  1917 - Members of an Observation School Committee; Angas Parsons sitting front row, second from left.
• 
  1920
• 
  1921
• 
  1921 - Lady Weigall, wife of the Governor of South Australia, accompanied by her daughter Priscilla greeting Sir George Murray, Lieutenant Governor and Justice Angas Parsons at a garden party held in the grounds of Government House, Adelaide.

References

1. Elizabeth Kwan, 'Parsons, John Langdon (1837–1903)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 11, Melbourne University Press, 1988, pp. 148–150.
2. "General News". The Southern Cross. X (445). South Australia. 7 January 1898. p. 11. Retrieved 11 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
3. Elizabeth Kwan, 'Parsons, Sir Herbert Angas (1872 - 1945)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 11, Melbourne University Press, 1988, pp. 148–150.
4. Statistical Record of the Legislature 1836-2007 Archived 12 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Parliament of South Australia, pp.69&71.
5. Knight Bachelor, 1 January 1936 Citation: Puisne Judge in South Australia
6. KBE, 14 June 1945
7. W. B. Pitcher, Bonython, Sir John Langdon (1848 - 1939), Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 7, Melbourne University Press, 1979, pp. 339–341

Political offices
Preceded by Hermann Homburg	Attorney-General of South Australia 1915	Succeeded by John Vaughan
Parliament of South Australia
Preceded by George Dankel Thomas Ryan	Member for Torrens 1912–1915	Succeeded by Electorate abolished
Preceded by George Dunn Maurice William Parish	Member for Murray 1918–1921	Succeeded by John Francis Godfree John Beavis Randell