William Kyffin Thomas
William Kyffin Thomas was a newspaper proprietor in South Australia.
William, the son of Robert Thomas, was born in Fleet Street, London and emigrated to South Australia with his father in 1836 on the. From that time until the day of his death, he was intimately associated with the fortunes of the South Australian Register, for the last twenty-five years of his life as one of the proprietors. To his industry and ability in the different capacities in which he acted was due to a large extent the high character and phenomenal success of the Register, and the weekly and afternoon journals issued from the same office—the Adelaide Observer and Evening Journal. The firm which conducted these papers bore the name of the subject, being known as W. K. Thomas & Co., and consisted of John Harvey Finlayson and Robert Kyffin Thomas, the latter being the elder son of William Kyffin Thomas, and grandson of the founder of the Register.
Thomas was a founding member of the Flinders Street Baptist Church and served as its secretary for many years. He died on 4 July 1878 in Glenelg, South Australia and was buried in West Terrace Cemetery.
William was survived by his wife Mary Jane, née Good, six daughters and three sons.
Family
William Kyffin Thomas married Mary Jane Good on 28 January 1843. Their children included- Mary Maria Thomas married Charles Napier Birks on 13 September 1866
- Helen Rosetta Thomas married George Napier Birks on 28 January 1863. George died in Paraguay; he was the a brother of Charles Napier Birks, founder of the Rundle Street store.
- Frances Thomas married William Neill on 29 October 1869
- Sir Robert Kyffin Thomas married Amelia Bowen in 1876. See his entry for family details.
- Rosetta Jane "Rose" Thomas married Charles Napier Birks on 8 March 1879. Rose was a noted suffragist.
- Florence Emily Thomas married J Edwin Thomas on 22 September 1881. Edwin was not a near relative. He was an accountant, business partner of William Neill.
- Margaret Edith Thomas
- Annie Isabel Kyffin Thomas married Dr George Bessant Mallam MRCS LRCP of Oxford on 30 July 1884. Dr Mallam was an uncle of Judge Mallam of the N.T. Supreme Court.
- Evan Kyffin Thomas married Mary Harriet Archer "Maisie" Smith on 1 June 1901. He was a journalist with the Register, editor of the Observer then partner and general manager. Their children included: