Sir John Blackler Colton, (23 September 1823 – 6 February 1902) was an Australian politician,

Premier of South Australia The premier of South Australia is the head of government in the state of South Australia, Australia. The Government of South Australia follows the Westminster system, with a Parliament of South Australia acting as the legislature. The premier is ...

and philanthropist. His middle name, Blackler, was used only rarely, as on the birth certificate of his first son.

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 Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...

, England. He arrived in

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

in December 1839 aboard ''Duchess of Northumberland'' with his parents and siblings, who settled at

McLaren Vale McLaren Vale is a wine region in the Australian state of South Australia located in the Adelaide metropolitan area and centred on the town of McLaren Vale about south of the Adelaide city centre. It is internationally renowned for the win ...

and started a vineyard. Colton, however, found work in

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

, 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., at the Topham Street corner of

Currie Street Currie Street is a main street in the Adelaide city centre, South Australia.Map
of the

Pirie Street Wesleyan Church where he was an active member for over 50 years.

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 The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide. Overview The House of Assembly was creat ...

for Noarlunga, 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 The Treasurer of South Australia is the Cabinet minister in the Government of South Australia who is responsible for the financial management of that state's budget sector. The Urban Renewal Authority, trading as Renewal SA, lies within the T ...

, 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 , motto_translation = Do Brave Deeds and Endure , established = 1869 , type = Independent, single-sex, day & boarding , headmaster = David Roberts , chaplain = Reverend ...

, 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 Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

Church throughout his life. He was created on 1 January 1891. He died in

on 6 February 1902.

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 (20 January 1848 – 26 December 1906), partner with brother Alfred, later managing director of Harrold, Colton & Co. *Alfred Cutting Colton (c.1854 – 29 July 1919) married Eliza Bosisto "Lizzie" Stirling (died 19 March 1947), daughter of George Stirling and niece of

Joseph Bosisto Joseph Bosisto CMG, MLA JP (21 March 1827 – 8 November 1898), was a chemist and politician in colonial Victoria, Australia. Background Bosisto was the son of William Bosisto and Maria née Lazenby, of Cookham, Berkshire, and was born on 21 M ...

CMG (died 8 November 1898), on 10 February 1887, lived at

Lorne, Victoria Lorne is a seaside town on Louttit Bay in Victoria, Australia. It is situated about the Erskine River and is a popular destination on the Great Ocean Road tourist route. Lorne is in the Surf Coast Shire and at the had a population of 1,114 but ...

, then retired to

Elsternwick, Victoria Elsternwick is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 9 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Glen Eira local government area. Elsternwick recorded a population of 10,887 at the 2021 ...

, where his brother-in-law, Dr. Robert A. Stirling (1855–1928), had a practice. :*John Stirling Colton (23 May 1888 – 12 April 1951) married Dorothy Isabel Hawkes in 1914 ::*John Blackler Colton (1 August 1918 – 21 December 1996) *Elizabeth Mary "Bessie" Colton (24 October 1856 – 9 September 1870) *Edwin Blackler Colton (4 May 1859 – 19 August 1916), solicitor of Adelaide, married Emily Gardner Wallace (died 3 January 1922) in 1884 *Ellen Hannah Colton (18 October 1863 – 12 February 1946) lived with her father in Hackney *Frank Septimus Colton (25 May 1865 – 22 August 1902) was a medical practitioner in England

References

External links

* , - , - , - , - , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Colton, John 1823 births 1902 deaths English emigrants to colonial Australia Mayors and Lord Mayors of Adelaide Premiers of South Australia Australian Methodists Australian Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Australian politicians awarded knighthoods Members of the South Australian House of Assembly Leaders of the Opposition in South Australia Treasurers of South Australia Burials at West Terrace Cemetery 19th-century Australian politicians