John Fairfax Conigrave (c. 1843 – 20 June 1920), generally referred to as J. F. Conigrave or J. Fairfax Conigrave, was a businessman in South Australia. Conigrave was born in

Rundle Street, Adelaide 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 becomes ...

, the son of a Benjamin Conigrave, a cabinetmaker and his wife Matilda, née Reeve. He was educated at

John L. Young John Lorenzo Young (30 May 1826 in London – 26 July 1881 at sea) was an English-Australian educationalist and founder of the Adelaide Educational Institution. History Young was born in London, a son of John Tonkin Young (1802 – 10 April 18 ...

's Adelaide Educational Institution from 1853 to 1858, when he left school to join the reporting staff of the

South Australian Register ''The Register'', originally the ''South Australian Gazette and Colonial Register'', and later ''South Australian Register,'' was South Australia's first newspaper. It was first published in London in June 1836, moved to Adelaide in 1837, and f ...

. Around 1880 he left to join with

C. N. Collison Charles Nicholas Collison (1845 – 7 May 1929) was a journalist and businessman in the early days of South Australia. History Charles Nicholas Collison (1845 – 7 May 1929) was born in London in 1845 and migrated to South Australia with his pa ...

(another AEI student) in the real-estate business as Conigrave & Collison. He was appointed secretary to the fledgling South Australian Chamber of Manufactures, with offices co-located in Santo Buildings,

Waymouth Street Waymouth Street, often spelt as Weymouth Street in the early days, is an east–west street running between King William Street and West Terrace in the Adelaide city centre in South Australia. The street is named after Henry Waymouth, a foundi ...

, under financial arrangements criticised by

Rowland Rees Rowland Rees (25 September 1840 – 13 October 1904) was an architect, civil engineer and politician in South Australia. History Rees was born in Gibraltar, the eldest son of Rowland Rees, of Sutrana House, Dover, and later alderman of B ...

as over-generous. He was secretary of the Committee charged with the organization of the 1887 Adelaide Jubilee International Exhibition. He also served as secretary to the Australian Widows' Fund Life Assurance Society. He left for Western Australia in 1896, and was secretary to the Perth Chamber of Commerce.

Other interests

*He was prominent in committees of the YMCA, the Australian Natives' Association and the North Adelaide Literary Society. *He was a lay reader at the Congregational Church, Brougham Place *He was a keen amateur historian and often gave lectures on aspects of South Australian history *He was a prominent member of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia

Family

He married Sarah Price of Hindmarsh Island; among their children were *Effie Marian Conigrave (1870– ) married

Eben Allen Ebenezer "Eben" Allen (15 November 1868 – 20 May 1931) was an Australian businessman and politician who was a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1911 to 1917, representing the ...

(a future MP) in 1895, lived in Perth *Berkeley Fairfax Conigrave (1871–) member of Modern Pickwick Club, moved to London *Mabel Conigrave (1873– ) *Ida May Conigrave (1875– ) * Charles Price Conigrave (1882–1961), lived in the Northern Territory *Gladys Reeve Conigrave (1884–1920), died in Singapore Their last home was "Lingerwood", 6 Richardson Street, West Perth.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Conigrave, J Australian businesspeople People educated at Adelaide Educational Institution Australian Congregationalists Colony of South Australia people 1840s births 1920 deaths