Daniel Fisher (11 November 1812 – 2 June 1884) was a

grain merchant The grain trade refers to the local and international trade in cereals and other food grains such as wheat, barley, maize, and rice. Grain is an important trade item because it is easily stored and transported with limited spoilage, unlike other ...

and politician in the young colony of South Australia.

History

Daniel Fisher was born in Bradford, Wiltshire, son of James Fisher (1785–1837) and his wife Sarah Fisher (c. 1787– ), and was transported to Van Diemen's Land (

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

) aged 15, for what he was later to describe as "an unfortunate mistake" and "a boyish escapade, involving no moral offence" for which he was later exonerated and, on a petition from John Baker received a Royal Pardon. He married Harriet Brown in

Hobart Town Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/ Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-small ...

on 6 November 1837 (Rev. William Bedford officiating) and moved to South Australia aboard the ''Timbo'', arriving at Port Adelaide in April 1846. He set up in business as a cornfactor and seedsman (grain merchant) in

Rundle Street Rundle Street, often referred to as "Rundle Street East" as distinct from Rundle Mall, is a street in the East End of the city centre of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. It runs from Pulteney Street to East Terrace, where it becom ...

. His brother Charles arrived in Adelaide in 1848, for a time working as a contractor then joined Daniel as "Fisher Brothers", (not to be confused with the earlier hardware firm of the same name run by the unrelated

James Hurtle Fisher Sir James Hurtle Fisher (1 May 1790 – 28 January 1875) was a lawyer and prominent South Australian pioneer. He was the first Resident Commissioner of the colony of South Australia, the first Mayor of Adelaide and the first resident Sou ...

). Charles left the partnership in October 1856 and set up in

Grenfell Street Grenfell Street () is a major street in the north-east quarter of the Adelaide city centre, South Australia. The street runs west-east from King William Street to East Terrace. On the other side of King William Street, it continues as Currie S ...

on his own account. Daniel joined the gold rush to Victoria, but returned to Adelaide without having made a fortune. Other members of his family joined him in South Australia. He was convicted of assault after repeatedly charging his brother-in-law George P. Harris (co-founder of

Harris Scarfe Harris Scarfe is an Australian retailer that sells bed linen, kitchenware, homewares, electrical appliances and apparel. It has a e-commerce retail presence in Australia and is considered a multi-channel lifestyle and homewares store. Founded in ...

) on horseback and making threatening gestures. In a letter to the ''Adelaide Times'', D. Fisher stated that there was great provocation given.

Public life

He was prominent in the defence of John Stephens, editor of the '' South Australian Register''. He served on the Adelaide City Council from 1852 to 1855 and retired from business in 1856. He visited England in 1861, and in 1865 contested the election for seat of

East Torrens East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fac ...

in the

South Australian House of Assembly The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the South Australian Legislative Council, Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House, Adelaide, Parliament House in the st ...

but was unsuccessful. Two years later one of the successful candidates,

Neville Blyth Neville Blyth (March 1825 – 15 February 1890) was a South Australian colonial politician. Blyth was some two years younger than his brother Arthur Blyth,

, resigned on a point of honour, and Fisher won the resulting by-election and served from July 1867 to May 1870. His colleagues were

Randolph Isham Stow Randolph Isham Stow (17 December 1828 – 17 September 1878) was an English-born Australian Supreme Court of South Australia judge. Early life Stow was born in Framlingham, Suffolk, England and baptised at Water Lane-Independent, Bishops S ...

, who resigned in May 1868 then

George Pearce Sir George Foster Pearce KCVO (14 January 1870 – 24 June 1952) was an Australian politician who served as a Senator for Western Australia from 1901 to 1938. He began his career in the Labor Party but later joined the National Labor Party, ...

. He was elected Mayor of the Town of Kensington and Norwood in 1862.

Last years

About 1878 Fisher suffered a stroke, which left him paralysed, and withdrew totally from public life. In the last year he lost the use of his mental faculties. He died at his home Nile Street, Glenelg.

Family

Daniel Fisher (11 November 1812 – 2 June 1884) married 6 November 1837 at Hobart Town, Tasmania to Harriet Brown. They left for South Australia on board the ''Timbo'', arriving 4 April 1846. (No record has yet been found for Harriet after her arrival in South Australia.) Daniel met, in Tasmania, his (common-law) wife Lucretia Kelk (c. 1813 – 2 February 1848). Lucretia moved to Adelaide to be with him (speculation). He married Mary Reynolds (no record of a marriage found) (19 December 1829 – 5 May 1909) around 1850. His children included: *Elizabeth Maria Kelk Fisher (2 February 1848 – 12 April 1937) married Frederick Malin (13 July 1843? 1844? – 16 July 1917) of Port Adelaide on 8 August 1866 *Alfred George Fisher (24 February 1852 – ) married Sarah Elizabeth Abbott (1858–) of Norwood on 30 April 1877 *Walter James Fisher (c. 1856 – 8 September 1897) was convicted in 1880 of stealing a purse. *Laura Jane Fisher (4 August 1858 – ) *Emily Fisher ( – ) married Adolf Louis Hauschildt (c. 1861 – 10 May 1895) on 25 January 1886. She married again, to Edward George Stephens on 12 September 1898 *William Hartley Fisher (20 August 1865 – 8 June 1944) married Ellen "Nell" Musgrave ( – ) on 20 July 1909 He had a brother and two sisters in South Australia: Charles Fisher J.P. (c. 1824 – 27 November 1902), grain merchant, married Julia Humphreys Phillips, sister of W. Herbert Phillipps on 22 April 1858, later lived at "Parkholme", Wakefield Street,

Kent Town Kent Town is an inner suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters. History Kent Town was named for Dr. Benjamin Archer Kent (1808 – 25 November 1864), a medical practitioner of Walsall, Sta ...

. (Spelling is correct — W.H.P. changed his surname.) *Charles Hedley Phillipps "Hedley" Fisher (c. 1860 – 25 November 1938) married Helen Napier "Nellie" Birks (20 June 1869 – 27 January 1949), second daughter of

Charles Birks Charles Birks & Co Ltd. was a South Australian department store founded by Charles Napier Birks in Rundle Street, Adelaide. His son Napier Birks took over the business in 1908. The business was acquired by David Jones Limited in 1954. History Ch ...

, on 14 February 1898 *Frank Fisher *Beatrice Fisher married Charles Westmacott, nephew of General Westmacott, on 10 September 1898 *Herbert Stanley Fisher married Mary Clavering "Thistle" Anderson, daughter of Col. George Anderson, once MP for Glasgow, on 16 December 1901 *Wanborough Fisher, a well-known singer, married Louie Grant of Laura on 14 March 1905. Caroline Fisher ( – 27 March 1920 Sussex) married

George Peter Harris George Peter Harris (c. 1820 – 26 November 1873) was the co-founder of the South Australian company that became Harris Scarfe. History Harris left England on the ship ''Candahar'' for South Australia in 1848, arriving at Port Adelaide in Febr ...

(c. 1818 – 26 November 1873) on 14 November 1854 at the Wesleyan Chapel, North Adelaide. Harris, co-founder of

, arrived in SA 10 February 1849 aboard ''Candahar''. from Plymouth. They had 2 children, both born in South Australia:- *Louisa Caroline Harris (30 August 1855 – 1 May 1895 Middlesex, England) She married 5 January 1887 (Blackheath, St. Michael & All Angels) Leonard Waterhouse. They had 3 children. *George Stanley Harris (21 June 1860 – ) The family left South Australia on 14 January 1867; George Peter Harris died 26 November 1873 at "Castle House",

Shooter's Hill Shooter's Hill (or Shooters Hill) is a district in South East London within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It borders the London Borough of Bexley. It lies north of Eltham and south of Woolwich. With a height of , it is the highest point in t ...

, England. Elizabeth Fisher (c. 1814 Wiltshire – 13 August 1892 Norwood) married 1843 (Wiltshire England) Alfred Pickford (c. 1820 – 16 April 1908). Elizabeth, Alfred and daughter Ellen arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ''Marshall Bennett''. His occupation was listed as "Carpenter". Alfred had a business in Rundle street, retired around 1870. They had one daughter: *Ellen Pickford (1844 Wiltshire, England – 2 April 1907) married 30 September 1863 at the Wesleyan Chapel

Pirie Street, Adelaide Pirie Street is a road on the east side of the Adelaide city centre, South Australia. It runs east–west, between East Terrace and King William Street. After crossing King William Street, it continues as Waymouth Street. It forms the souther ...

to Rev. Henry Thomas Burgess. They had 15 children; Ellen was buried in the

West Terrace cemetery The West Terrace Cemetery is South Australia's oldest cemetery, first appearing on Colonel William Light's 1837 plan of Adelaide. The site is located in Park 23 of the Adelaide Park Lands just south-west of the Adelaide city centre, between ...

. Brothers and sisters who remained in England include: John Fisher (1809 Bradford On Avon – 1861 Bradford On Avon), married Ann Billett Eliza Fisher (1815 Bradford On Avon – c. 1874) James Fisher (1822 Bradford On Avon – c. 1893 Wiltshire), married Amelia Gerrish

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fisher, Daniel Convicts transported to Australia Members of the South Australian House of Assembly Australian merchants 1812 births 1884 deaths 19th-century Australian politicians 19th-century Australian businesspeople