John Colton (politician)

Sir John Blackler Colton, KCMG (23 September 1823 – 6 February 1902) was an Australian politician, Premier of South Australia and philanthropist.[2] His middle name, Blackler, was used only rarely, as on the birth certificate of his first son.

Sir John Colton KCMG
13th Premier of South Australia
In office 6 June 1876 – 26 October 1877
Monarch	Victoria
Governor	Sir Anthony Musgrave
Preceded by	James Boucaut
Succeeded by	James Boucaut
In office 16 June 1884 – 16 June 1885
Monarch	Victoria
Governor	Sir William Robinson
Preceded by	John Cox Bray
Succeeded by	John Downer
South Australian House of Assembly
In office 1862–1870 Serving with Charles Hewett, John Carr
Preceded by	Alexander Anderson
Succeeded by	James Stewart
Constituency	Noarlunga
In office 1875–1878 Serving with John Carr
Preceded by	Charles Myles
Succeeded by	Thomas Atkinson
Constituency	Noarlunga
In office 1880–1887 Serving with Thomas Atkinson
Preceded by	John Carr
Succeeded by	Charles Dashwood
Constituency	Noarlunga
Personal details
Born	(1823-09-23)23 September 1823 Devon, England, United Kingdom
Died	6 February 1902(1902-02-06) (aged 78) Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Resting place	West Terrace Cemetery[1]
Spouse(s)	Mary Colton ​ ( m. 1844; died in  1898)

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, England. He arrived in South Australia in December 1839 aboard Duchess of Northumberland with his parents and siblings, who settled at McLaren Vale and started a vineyard.

Colton, however, found work in Adelaide, 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.,[3] at the Topham Street corner of Currie Street, which firm survived as hardware merchants well into the latter half of the 20th century.

He gave £100 to start the work on the Pirie Street Wesleyan Church[4] where he was an active member for over 50 years.[1]

Political career

In 1859 Colton was elected a member of the Adelaide City Council, and on 17 November 1862 was returned to the South Australian House of Assembly for Noarlunga,[5] 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, 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. 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, 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 Church throughout his life.

He was created KCMG on 1 January 1891. He died in Adelaide on 6 February 1902.[6]

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 (1848 – 26 December 1906), partner with brother Alfred, later managing director of Harrold, Colton & Co.
• Alfred Cutting Colton (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),[7] on 10 February 1887, lived at Lorne, Victoria, then retired to Elsternwick, Victoria, where his brother-in-law, Dr. Robert A. Stirling (1855–1928), had a practice.[8]

• John Stirling Colton (1888–1951) married Dorothy Isabel Hawkes in 1914

• John Blackler Colton (1918– )

• Elizabeth Mary "Bessie" Colton (24 October 1856 – 9 September 1870)
• Edwin Blackler Colton (1859–1916), solicitor of Adelaide, married Emily Gardner Wallace (died 1922) in 1884
• Ellen Hannah Colton (1863 – 12 February 1946) lived with her father in Hackney
• Frank Septimus Colton (1865 – 22 August 1902) was a medical practitioner in England

References

1. "The Late Sir John Colton". The Chronicle. Adelaide. 15 February 1902. p. 33. Retrieved 9 January 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
2. Parr, S. R. "Colton, Sir John (1823–1902)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Melbourne University Press. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 20 January 2014 – via National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
3. "Concerning People". The Register (Adelaide). LXXVI (20, 246). South Australia. 2 October 1911. p. 6. Retrieved 27 November 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
4. "Odd Aspects Of City Church's Centenary". The Advertiser. Adelaide. 8 July 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 9 January 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "John Colton". Former Member of Parliament Details. Parliament of South Australia.
6. Atchley, Chewton (1912). "Colton, John" . Dictionary of National Biography (2nd supplement). London: Smith, Elder & Co.
7. "The Late Mr. Bosisto's Will". Weekly Times (1, 532). Victoria, Australia. 17 December 1898. p. 17. Retrieved 22 December 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
8. "Obituary". The Chronicle (Adelaide). LXII (3, 181). South Australia. 9 August 1919. p. 45. Retrieved 22 December 2018 – via National Library of Australia.

Political offices
Preceded by Philip Santo	Commissioner of Public Works 1868 – 1870	Succeeded by Friedrich Krichauff
Preceded by William Dixon Allott	Mayor of the Corporation of Adelaide 1874 – 1875	Succeeded by Caleb Peacock
Preceded by James Boucaut	Premier of South Australia 1876 – 1877	Succeeded by James Boucaut
	Commissioner of Public Works 1876 – 1877	Succeeded by George Hawker
New title	Leader of the Opposition of South Australia 1884	Succeeded by John Bray
Preceded by John Bray	Premier of South Australia 1884 – 1885	Succeeded by John Downer
Preceded by James Ramsay	Chief Secretary of South Australia 1884 – 1885	Succeeded by John Spence
South Australian House of Assembly
Preceded by Alexander Anderson	Member for Noarlunga 1862 – 1870 Served alongside: Charles Hewett, John Carr	Succeeded by James Stewart
Preceded by Charles Myles	Member for Noarlunga 1875 – 1878 Served alongside: John Carr	Succeeded by Thomas Atkinson
Preceded by John Carr	Member for Noarlunga 1880 – 1887 Served alongside: Thomas Atkinson	Succeeded by Charles Dashwood