Early Colonist & Entrepreneur
Henry Ayers was born in Portsea, England on 1st May 1821. He was the fourth and youngest child of shipwright and dockman William Ayers and his wife, Elizabeth. Henry attended The Beneficial Society School until age 11 before going to work as a junior clerk in a solicitor's office.
In 1840, age 19, he married Anne Potts, who was eight years his senior. In July of the same year they emigrated with a free passage to South Australia, arriving in the new colony aboard the Fairfield on December 14th 1840. At this time, free passages to South Australia were being granted to tradesmen and in order to secure this lucrative benefit, Henry had stated his occupation as that of a carpenter.
Upon arriving in Adelaide, however, Henry was immediately employed once more as a clerk in the office of solicitors J H Richman, on North Terrace. He changed employers over the next four and a half years, each time working for solicitors. He also worked independently as a law stationer.
The Monster Mine
By 1845, Henry and Anne now with two sons were living in Pulteney Street. In the same year he was elected to the position of Secretary of the South Australian Mining Association, a fortuitous appointment, which laid the foundation for his future wealth and position.
Later that year in August, copper was discovered near the Burra Burra Creek, 160 kilometres north of Adelaide. Ayers purchased a significant parcel of £5 shares in the mine in April of 1847. Known as the 'Monster Mine', it not only secured South Australia economically during the 1850s and 1860s but made huge fortunes for major shareholders like Ayers. Until 1866, dividends were never lower than 200% and in some years went as high as 800%.
The Politician
Henry Ayers entered politics in 1857 aged 36, the same year in which Responsible Government, with an elected two-house Parliament, was introduced in South Australia. He was a member of the new Legislative Council from its inception and he sat in the Council continuously until his retirement in 1893 by which time he had been knighted for his services.
Parliament was a volatile situation of chronic instability where governments were formed and reformed frequently, sometimes as short as a month. With no party system in place and temporary alliances formed on single issues. Sir Henry was a strong force in this turbulent political current, becoming a Minister on the first of 12 occasions in 1863. In seven of these governments, he was Premier, albeit once only for three weeks. He was also a member of several inter-colonial delegations prior to federation, on issues such as tariffs, customs and postal communications.
The Ayers Rock Connection
In the 1870s (coinciding with Sir Henry's Premiership), an exploration to find an inland route west of the Overland Telegraph, headed by WC Gosse was funded by Ayers' friend and fellow politician, Thomas Elder. The expedition resulted in the discovery of a 'huge mass of rock of honeycombed granite from six to seven miles in girth at the base, and about eleven hundred feet in height.' Gosse named it Ayers Rock, today called Uluru.
Private Citizen & Family Man
Sir Henry and his wife had eight children, six of whom lived till adulthood. When they moved to Ayers House in 1855, they already had five children, Frank, Harry, Frederic, Margaret and Arthur. The youngest child, Lucy, was born there. The six children felt the bounty of their father's generosity to his family and benefited from the consequences of his wealth. His sons were educated at St. Peters College, and Frank and Frederic travelled to England, where they studied law before returning to practise in Adelaide. Harry and Arthur were engaged in their father's business and practised as H.L. & A.F. Ayers, Trustees and Financial Agents. All did extremely well. Sir Henry was also concerned that his daughters were well provided for. The youngest, Lucy, married into the wealthy Bagot family, but he ensured Maggie had independent means from the interest on a trust fund, once she married. Lady Ayers died in 1881 and Sir Henry remained at the North Terrace house until his death in 1897.
It could be said that time and talent rather than money were the measure of Ayers' voluntary contribution to public life. Sir Henry administered and advised many notable organisations in an honorary capacity but made few actual monetary donations as such. He served on the boards of many charities and community associations, including Wyatt Benevolent Fund, the Botanic Gardens, University of Adelaide, the Zoological Gardens, Agricultural Society, Old Colonists' Association and the South Australian Cricket Association.
Sir Henry Ayers is a testament to the success, influence and prosperity that could be attained by successful immigrants to the Australian colonies.
A special exhibition has been devoted to the life and career of Sir Henry Ayers and can be seen as part of the tour of Ayers House Museum.
