Richard Butler (Australian politician)


Sir Richard Butler was an Australian politician. He was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly from 1890 to 1924, representing Yatala and Barossa. He served as Premier of South Australia from March to July 1905 and Leader of the Opposition from 1905 to 1909. Butler would also variously serve as Speaker of the House of Assembly, and as a minister under Premiers Charles Kingston, John Jenkins and Archibald Peake. His son, Richard Layton Butler, went on to serve as Premier from 1927 to 1930 and 1933 to 1938.

Early life

Richard Butler was born at Stadhampton, near Oxford, England, to Richard Butler, père and his wife Mary Eliza, née Sadler. He had a younger sister, Mary. Richard and Mary Eliza emigrated with their two children Mary and Richard to South Australia, arriving in Adelaide on 8 March 1854, following Richard pères brother Philip, who emigrated fourteen years earlier, made a fortune as a pastoralist and landowner, established Mallala sheep station, and built a two-storey homestead on his property Yattalunga station, near Gawler, then returned to England in December 1857. Richard père took over management of "Mallala" and "Yattalunga", where the growing family lived until around 1870.
Butler attended St Peter's College, Adelaide. He was a Justice of the Peace before he was 30.

Political career

Butler represented Barossa from 3 May 1902 to 4 April 1924.
Butler was treasurer in the Jenkins ministry from 15 May 1901 to 1 March 1905, and was also Commissioner of Crown Lands and Immigration from 1 April 1902 to 1 March 1905. In June 1902 he implemented a number of cost-cutting amalgamations in the public service, notably in the agriculture and lands departments.
His ministry was defeated soon after the 1905 election where Labor formed government under Thomas Price and retained government at the 1906 election, relegating Butler to opposition until a year before the 1910 election, when Labor lost government resulting from Price's death. The Liberal and Democratic Union insisted on taking the premiership. On 22 December 1909 Butler joined the first Peake LDU ministry as Treasurer and Minister for the Northern Territory, but the ministry was defeated following the 1910 election. Following the 1912 election, Butler was Commissioner of Public Works in the second Peake ministry from 17 February 1912 to 10 November 1914 and Minister of Mines and of Marine from 17 February 1912 to 3 April 1915. The Peake government was defeated at the 1915 election, however Labor split over conscription in 1917 which brought down the government. Butler was Treasurer once again and Minister of Railways in Peake's third ministry from 14 July 1917 to 7 May 1919, and Minister of Agriculture 19 December 1918 to 7 May 1919.

Late life

Butler died at South Croydon on 28 April 1925. Butler was made a knight bachelor in 1913. He had married Helena Kate Layton in 1878 and Ethel Pauline Finer in 1894. He had eight children by his first marriage and three by his second.
Butler's son, Richard Layton Butler, was twice premier of South Australia. His great-great-grandson Mark Butler is a Labor member of the Australian House of Representatives.

Family

Richard Butler

Richard Butler married Mary Eliza Sadler, arrived in South Australia March 1854
  • Mary Butler married Rev. John Garlick Pitcher on 16 August 1877. He previously married Elizabeth Charlotte Catherine Smyth-Blood on 7 November 1867. Their family included:
  • Sir Richard Butler married Helena Kate Layton on 2 January 1878; they had eight children; he married again to Ethel Pauline Finey on 7 June 1894; they had three more children.
  • Kate Lisette "Katie" Butler married Frederick Taylor Whitington on 1 October 1878
  • Agnes Butler was a nurse, lived at 58 Anglesea Street, Hobart
  • Helen Margaret "Nellie" Butler lived with her widowed mother at Brighton, died at home of nephew Cyril Pitcher, 59 Dutton Terrace, Medindie.
  • Henry Herbert "Harry" Butler married Lillie Muriel Rudall on 7 April 1885. He was town clerk of Strathalbyn; contested seat of Murray 1920
  • Daniel Frederick "Dan" Butler married Susan Maude/Maud Angus in 1904

    Philip Butler

Richard's brother Philip Butler arrived on vessel John in February 1840 and was associated with A. W. Thorold Grant. in running sheep on a large property in the Hundred of Munno Para and at Mudla Wirra; leased "Mallala" inc. Gawler; married Matilda Roe on 13 September 1849. He built a large two-storey house on his property "Yattalunga", later occupied by his brother Richard. Philip and his family returned to England, where Matilda died on 12 April 1862. He married again to Margaret Chesshyre on 2 July 1863, returned to South Australia briefly then retired to England. Their children were:
  • Matilda Mary Butler
  • Edith Lucille Butler married Prof. Charles Henry Pearson on 10 December 1872.
  • Alice Isabel Butler
  • Millicent Lecette Butler
  • Charles Philip Roe Butler
He had three further children in England: a son on 15 February 1859 and twins in November 1862.