Philip Levi (1 February 1822 – 13 May 1898) was an early

settler A settler is a person who has human migration, migrated to an area and established a permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. A settler who migrates to an area previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited may be described as a ...

and pastoralist of

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 ...

. Born at

Brixton Hill Brixton Hill is the name given to a section of road between Brixton and Streatham Hill in south London, England. Brixton Hill and Streatham Hill form part of the traditional main London to Brighton road (A23). The road follows the line of a ...

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...

, England, Levi arrived in South Australia at the age of sixteen, aboard the '' Eden'' in 1838 with his parents Nathaniel Philip Levi and Sarah Levi (née Goldsmid), and their five other children. He was involved in pastoral and mercantile businesses in the north of South Australia and became a well known and influential businessman. His pastoral interests involved sheep and cattle in various partnerships, many of which in the period 1855–1870 involved Alfred Watts (1815–1884). His shipping interests included, with Jacob Smith, a share in the Port Adelaide tug ''Goolwa''. He was in 1863 one of the founders and a trustee of the

Adelaide Club The Adelaide Club is an exclusive gentlemen's club situated on North Terrace in the South Australian capital city of Adelaide. Founded in 1863, the club comprises members of the Adelaide Establishment. South Australian Club (1838–1843) An ea ...

, where a portrait of him still hangs today. In 1853, Levi purchased Vale House, located near the

River Torrens The River Torrens , (Karrawirra Parri / Karrawirraparri) is the most significant river of the Adelaide Plains. It was one of the main reasons for the siting of the city of Adelaide, capital of South Australia. It flows from its source in the ...

, east of

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 ...

(now in the suburb of

Vale Park Vale Park is a football stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, England. It has been the home ground of Port Vale F.C. since 1950. The ground has seen its capacity go up and down, its peak being 42,000 in 1954 against Blackpool, although a club record 49, ...

). Over the next 96 years, it became one of the centres of social activity of Adelaide society. In 1870 Levi's Company disposed of many of its properties including

Moolooloo Moolooloo Station (also known as Moolooloo and Moorillah Stations) is a pastoral lease that operates as a sheep station in South Australia. It is situated approximately north west of Blinman and south of Leigh Creek. The property was est ...

and

Wirrealpa Wirrealpa Station is a pastoral lease that operates as a sheep station and cattle station in South Australia. The property is situated approximately south east of Leigh Creek and north east of Quorn, on the eastern side of the Flinders R ...

Oulnina Oulnina Station is a pastoral lease that operates as a sheep station in South Australia. It is situated approximately south east of Mannahill and east of Yunta. The property was established some time prior to 1861. In 1862, Henry Loren ...

and Wadnaminga, Mount Margaret and Booleroo Station. Together these properties were stocked with over 70,000 sheep and 3,000 cattle. He died at Vale House and was buried in the Jewish section of 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 ...

, where his father was the first to be interred. His estate passed on to other members of his family, and in 1948, his niece left Vale House to the

Town of Walkerville The Corporation of the Town of Walkerville (or Town of Walkerville) is a small local government area in the central suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia. The residents of the Town of Walkerville are represented by a mayor and eight councillors. ...

. He is remembered by Levi Caravan Park, which bears his name.

Family

Philip Levi's (1822–1898) and Elizabeth Symes' (c. 1822 – 24 November 1882) children included: *James Frederick Levi (c. 1846 – 24 October 1878). He died at Bridgewater after being thrown onto the Mount Barker Road in a vehicle accident when his horse stumbled. *Charles Levi (c. 1849 – 18 April 1900) worked at

Port Essington Port Essington is an inlet and historic site located on the Cobourg Peninsula in the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park in Australia's Northern Territory. It was the site of an early attempt at British settlement, but now exists only as a remote ...

and Melville Island in the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...

, died at

Port Lincoln Port Lincoln is a town on the Lower Eyre Peninsula in the Australian state of South Australia. It is situated on the shore of Boston Bay, which opens eastward into Spencer Gulf. It is the largest city in the West Coast region, and is located a ...

. *Andrew Philip Levi (c. 1851 – 9 November 1927) of Port Adelaide *Adelaide Philippi Levi (1855 – 23 July 1930) married James William Field *George Nathaniel Levi (c. 1862 – 19 September 1894) worked for J & A. G. Johnston, of Oakbank Edmund Levi (6 December – 29 September 1895) was a brother and business partner.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Levi, Philip Settlers of South Australia People from Adelaide 1822 births 1898 deaths People from the London Borough of Lambeth English Jews Australian Jews Australian people of English-Jewish descent English emigrants to colonial Australia Adelaide Club Burials at West Terrace Cemetery