James Wallace Sandford

"Wallace Sandford" redirects here. For his father, A. W. Sandford, also called Wallace Sandford, see Alexander Wallace Sandford.

Sir James Wallace Sandford (20 March 1879 – 9 July 1958), usually referred to as J. Wallace Sandford and later as simply Wallace Sandford, was a businessman and politician in the State of South Australia.

History

Sandford was born in Footscray, Victoria the eldest son of Scottish-born businessman Alexander Wallace Sandford. They moved to Adelaide in 1980, where the dairy products business of A. W. Sandford & Co. had moved its head office. James was educated at St. Peter's College and Roseworthy Agricultural College, then the University of London.[1]

He joined A. W. Sandford & Co. in 1901; his father died in 1906 and James took over control of the company, which had diversified into an importer of agricultural machinery, in 1911. He was by this time generally referred to as simply "Wallace Sandford".

Politics

In 1931 Wallace Sandford was appointed chairman of a three-man committee (with Professor J. McKellar Stewart and the Director of Education, William J. Adey) to enquiry into the cost of education.[2] The panel recommended severe cost-cutting measures, which included the introduction of school fees, increases in the minimum sizes of country schools, amalgamation of high schools, and entrance examinations to high schools in order to halve enrolments.[3] Adey signed a minority report.[4]

In 1938 Sir Wallace, as he had become, was elected as a Liberal member of the Legislative Council for the Central No.2 district. His politics were influenced by loyalty to the British Empire and the laissez-faire belief that capitalists should be relatively free from interference by Government.

Other interests

He was a director on the boards of the Adelaide Cement Co. Ltd,[5] Sun Insurance and the South Australian Gas Company.[6]

He acted as honorary consul in Adelaide for Sweden for 17 years.[7]

He was a keen golfer.

Recognition

He was knighted in 1937.

He was appointed Knight Commander, Royal Order of Vasa in 1932.

Family

He married Kate Irene "Kittie" MacLeod on 10 April 1907. They had one daughter, born 21 September 1911 and one son, born 1 May 1916. They had a home at Avenel Gardens Medindie, then on East Terrace, Adelaide and a summer residence at Mount Lofty.

References

  1. ↑ Eric Richards, 'Sandford, Sir James Wallace (1879–1958)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/sandford-sir-james-wallace-8339/text14633, published in hardcopy 1988, accessed online 17 October 2014.
  2. ↑ "£250,000 Less For Education?". Advertiser and Register (Adelaide, SA : 1931) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 23 June 1931. p. 7. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  3. ↑ "Closing of 154 Country Schools Recommended". Advertiser and Register (Adelaide, SA : 1931) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 15 July 1931. p. 15. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  4. ↑ "Adelaide - Toward Economy". The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946) (Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia). 11 July 1931. p. 8. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "Peace in Industry". The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 2 June 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "Personal". The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 1 December 1944. p. 6. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "Swedish Knight". The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 19 July 1932. p. 8. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
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