Benjamin Nash
Benjamin Nash (5 March 1829 – 19 April 1890) was a tailor and politician in colonial South Australia.
He was born in Birmingham and emigrated to Melbourne in 1857 but in July, after only a few months in the gold diggings, moved to Adelaide and set up a tailoring business in Rundle Street.
He was prominent in the Voluntary Militia, and from 1858 to 1865 served with the West Adelaide Company under Colonel George Mayo. In 1859 he successfully tendered for the supply of the first uniforms for the Volunteer Military Force. In 1878 he was elected to the Walkerville District Council, and became its chairman.[1]
He was elected to the seat of West Torrens and sat from April 1887 to April 1890. He failed in his bid to be reelected, and died of kidney failure ten days later. He was buried in West Terrace Cemetery's Catholic section. He had converted to that faith around two years before his death. He made a gift of an organ to St. Laurence's, his small local Church.[2]
Family
He married ?? Burns; they lived at Nashville Terrace, Medindie, and had five children:
- Joseph G. Nash ( – ), an engineer, patented a novel sheep shearing handpiece.[3] He has been credited with invention of the Totalizator.[4]
- T. F. Nash ( – ) of Sydney
- Charlotte Anne Nash (c. 1854 – 10 July 1911) married Thomas Carter (c. 1853 – 2 February 1923), on 20 February 1928; they lived at Roseworthy, then Palmerston Road, Unley. She died after being struck by a motor car while crossing Unley Road.
- Alice Nash (c. 1864 – 13 January 1899)
- youngest daughter Agnes Jane Eily "Jenny" Nash ( – ) married John Joseph Leahy ( – ) on 8 September 1888
Benjamin had a twin brother in America, who also died of a kidney complaint.
References
- ↑ "The Advertiser". The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 21 April 1890. p. 4. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ↑ "In Memoriam.". Southern Cross (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1954) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 25 April 1890. p. 7. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ↑ "The Machinery Section". Adelaide Observer (SA : 1843 - 1904) (SA: National Library of Australia). 11 September 1897. p. 25. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ↑ "Invention of Totalisator". News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 30 April 1929. p. 8 Edition: Home. Retrieved 22 September 2015.