Edward Dewhirst

Edward Dewhirst (30 August 1815 – 4 February 1904) was a well-known South Australian minister of religion and educationist, born in Suffolk, England. His five children were also prominent in business and public life.

Early years

Edward Dewhirst was born in 1815 the third son of Rev. Charles Dewhirst, Independent minister of Bury St. Edmunds, an old town in Suffolk, England, where he was educated at King Edward VI Grammar School, gaining Classics instruction under noted philologist, headmaster Donaldson. In 1833 he was articled to a surgeon and started studying medicine, but in 1836 sailed for Jamaica in the West Indies where he worked for two or three years, and made the acquaintance of Rev. M. H. Hodge. He suffered from a fever, so returned to England where he studied to become a Nonconformist minister under Dr. Pye-Smith at Homerton College, Cambridge.[1] In 1849 he married Mary Ann, the eldest daughter of the Rev. Thomas Jarvis of Saint Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands.[1]

In Australia

He emigrated to Victoria in 1853, where he worked as a Baptist minister, moving to South Australia in 1855 as a minister, first Baptist then Congregational at the Ebenezer Place church and filling in as Classics master at J. L. Young's Adelaide Educational Institution. His wife followed, arriving in the Libertas in 1857, accompanied by two sisters.[2]

He received a licence to perform marriages in January 1857, but relinquished it in October 1858[3] when he joined the literary staff of The Register. One of his duties was writing for Farm and Garden, which must have suited him as he was a keen gardener.[1] In August 1860 he was appointed second Inspector of Schools with the South Australian Education Department,[4] where his kindly ways endeared him to both staff and students, although his philosophy of sound learning in a few subjects was at odds with the prevailing trend of less intense teaching over a broad range. When J. A. Hartley, who had similar ideas, was made Inspector-General of Schools he was promoted to Senior Inspector of Schools. In June 1891 he retired to the Adelaide Hills town of Nairne, where he was able to indulge his passions for literature, cricket and gardening, and became a valued member of the community, dying there in 1904.[5]

Family life

His wife Mary Ann Dewhirst (7 November 1823 – 17 August 1913) was born in Saint Helier where they married. She followed him to Adelaide in 1857. She was for many years deaconess of the North Adelaide Baptist Church and taught at their women's Bible class.[2] They had five children:

On 6 May 1878 he married Emily Ward (ca.1854 – 25 April 1879), third daughter of Thomas Ward, City Coroner.[6]
On 16 February 1881, he married Annie Rosina Rumball (ca.1861 – 3 June 1941) of Port Augusta, but originally from Canada.[7]
4 August 1877 she married the Rev. (later Hon.) John Langdon Parsons (died 21 August 1903)[8]
24 April 1877 she married Dr. Herbert Hayes Norman, D.D.S. (died 19 January 1920)[9]
On 5 August 1886 he married Florence Amy Allen (ca.1857 – 1 November 1939).[11]
On 6 March 1885 he married Elizabeth "Lizzie" "Bell" Currie (died 5 December 1942), daughter of James Currie.[13] Their only child, Norman H. Dewhirst died around 1910.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Death of Mr. Edward Dewhirst The Register 5 February 1904 p6 accessed 23 April 2011
  2. 1 2 Personal The Advertiser 18 August 1913 p.16 accessed 23 April 2011
  3. Marriage Act South Australian Register 29 October 1858 p.3 accessed 23 April 2011
  4. Appointments South Australian Register 10 August 1860 p.3 accessed 23 April 2011
  5. Obituary The Register February 1904 p.3 accessed 23 April 2011
  6. Marriages South Australian Register 9 May 1878 p.4 accessed 23 April 2011
  7. Marriages South Australian Register 1 March 1881 p.4 accessed 23 April 2011
  8. Marriage South Australian Register 13 August 1877 p.4 accessed 23 April 2011
  9. Marriage South Australian Register 28 April 1877 p.4 accessed 23 April 2011
  10. Obituary The Register 13 January 1927 p.8 accessed 23 April 2011
  11. Marriages South Australian Register 23 August 1886 accessed 21 April 2011
  12. Obituary Mr. C. H. Dewhirst The Advertiser Saturday 14 January 1939 p.7 accessed 23 April 2011
  13. Marriages South Australian Register 13 March 1885 p.4 accessed 23 April 2011
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