William Townsend (1821 – 25 October 1882) was a leading auctioneer, Mayor 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 ...

from 1864 to 1866, and a

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 ...

n politician. In 1874 he established an institution for deaf and blind children which was named Townsend House.

Early years

Townsend was born in the London Borough of

Southwark Southwark ( ) is a district of Central London situated on the south bank of the River Thames, forming the north-western part of the wider modern London Borough of Southwark. The district, which is the oldest part of South London, developed ...

, and worked assisting his brother, a potato salesman, and subsequently as a clerk. He married Emma Slade at St Pancras on 25 December 1852, and soon after set sail for

. He, his wife and child arrived in South Australia aboard the Dutch ship ''Fop Smit'' on 2 August 1853. Emma died soon after arrival. He subsequently married Jane Hooper.

Migration to South Australia

At first he was employed as a boot salesman, and subsequently opened a business as a boot-maker. On the advice of F.J. Botting, he became an auctioneer, gaining experience with several Adelaide firms. He helped found Townsend, Botting & Kay with F. J. Botting and William Kay. Ultimately he became a leading auctioneer, forming his own business, "Townsend and Son".

Political career

A fluent and forcible speaker, he became a popular public lecturer, and a lay preacher of the Congregational Church. He was interested in the formation of responsible government in South Australia from its beginnings, and helped frame the 1855 Constitution. He unsuccessfully stood in the colony's first election, but entered the

South Australian Legislative 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 ...

in a by-election on 23 December 1857 for the seat of Onkaparinga. He held that seat until 1870, when he was elected member for Sturt, which he held until his death. He was Commissioner of Public Works in the 11-day

Francis Dutton Francis Stacker Dutton CMG (18 October 1818 – 25 January 1877) was the seventh Premier of South Australia, serving twice, firstly in 1863 and again in 1865. History Dutton was born at Cuxhaven, Germany, where his father was British vice-con ...

Ministry of July 1863, and Commissioner of Crown Lands and immigration in the 16-day John Hart Ministry of September–October 1868. As Commissioner of Crown Lands in the Blyth Ministry from November 1871 to January 1872, he initiated a survey of the Northern Territory. He was acting Speaker in the assembly from 1872 until his death, and in 1876 he succeeded John Carr as Chairman of Committees in the Assembly, a position he also held until his death on 25 October 1882.

Public offices and philanthropy

Townsend served two terms as mayor of Adelaide in 1864–66, and was mayor of Unley in 1878–81. "Townsend House" was founded in 1874 by Townsend who, after two terms in office as Mayor of Adelaide, set about fulfilling his ambition to establish a "Blind Asylum in the City of Adelaide". Founded as the South Australian Institution for the Blind, Deaf and Dumb (Incorporated), the charity opened its doors to five blind and two

deaf Deafness has varying definitions in cultural and medical contexts. In medical contexts, the meaning of deafness is hearing loss that precludes a person from understanding spoken language, an Audiology, audiological condition. In this context it ...

students, beginning a commitment that continues today under the name CanDo4Kids. Townsend was chairman of its committee from 1875 until his death in 1882.

Personal

Townsend lived at "Waverley" in Lower Mitcham.South Australian homes and gardens, June 1953, p. 33 & 35 Aged 61, he died of

phthisis Phthisis may refer to: Mythology * Phthisis (mythology), Classical/Greco-Roman personification of rot, decay and putrefaction Medical terms * Phthisis bulbi, shrunken, nonfunctional eye * Phthisis miliaris, miliary tuberculosis * Phthisis pulmo ...

on 25 October 1882 at Mitcham, survived by his second wife, four daughters and three sons.

References

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External links

;Library catalogue references (State Library of South Australia) *Norman, W. A. (1954
"William Townsend"
in ''History of the City of Mitcham'', p. 285-287
Obituary
''Frearson's weekly illustrated'', 28 October 1882, p. 599
Death of Mr. William Townsend, M.P
''Adelaide observer'', 28 October 1882, p. 32, col. a; p. 33, col. a-d
Townsend William 1821–1882
list of references at the State Library of South Australia ;Newspaper articles ("Trove" nla.gov.au) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Townsend, William Mayors and Lord Mayors of Adelaide 1821 births 1882 deaths Australian auctioneers 19th-century Australian politicians English emigrants to colonial Australia 19th-century deaths from tuberculosis Tuberculosis deaths in the British Empire Colony of South Australia people Businesspeople from the British Empire Members of the South Australian House of Assembly