1. Home »
  2. People & achievements »
  3. Prominent People (A-Z)

Prominent People

Department:

This section lists industry people who have made a significant contribution to the achievements and success of agriculture in South Australia and Australia. Where information is available from a readily available source, a link is provided.

P

Penfold, Christopher Rawson 1811 - 1870

Vigneron. Dr Christopher and Mary Penfold arrived in Adelaide in 1844 and purchased the Magill estate and Grange cottage. It was here that Christopher tended his patients and Mary planted and tended the vines. Christopher supported Mary in the vineyard endeavour and was active in local government. He was in poor health for some years prior to his death in March 1870.

Image: Image SLSA B 22969

R

Reynell, John 1809 - 1873

Pastoralist and vigneron. Reynell arrived in Adelaide in 1838 and took up Reynella Farm where he grew wheat and potatoes and bred sheep and cattle. The following year he was one of fifty settlers who formed the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia. His pastoral pursuits initially flourished but then collapsed during an economic recession. Reynell was convinced that the vine, olive and fig could be cultivated in South Australia and in 1841 he planted the first vineyard which then began an enterprise which continues. He pioneered the export of claret and burgundy to New Zealand.

Image: SLSA PRG 29/35/1/21

Reynell, Walter 1846 - 1919

Pastoralist and vigneron. Helped his father develop the vineyards above and spent two years on Beltana station working for (Sir) Thomas Elder. For many years he ran a land agency business in Adelaide and became manager of Elder Smith & Co., supervising the stock business of the firm and its numerous branches before returning to Reynella to tend the vineyards. He was a member of the Pastoralists' Association of South Australia, the South Australian Vinegrowers' Association, and director of Elder Smith & Co. and of the South Australian Brewing Co.

Image: SLSA B62972 1876

Riddoch, George 1842 - 1919

Pastoralist. Through astute buying, by 1891 and with his brother John, held the freehold to over 75,000 acres of the South East; it extended to the Coonawarra Fruit Colony in the north, Glencoe in the west and almost to Mount Gambier in the south. As flock-masters of merinos and cross-breds, which suited the wet South-East, and as large-scale experimental farmers and graziers, George and John were staunch members of the South Australian Pastoralists' Union. Both brothers sat in the South Australian parliament.

Image: SLSA PRG23-6-8-12 1902

Riddoch, John 1827 - 1901

Pastoralist. Through astute buying, by 1891 and with his brother George, held the freehold to over 75,000 acres of the South East; it extended to the Coonawarra Fruit Colony (which John founded in 1891) in the north, Glencoe in the west and almost to Mount Gambier in the south. As flock-masters of merinos and cross-breds, which suited the wet South-East, and as large-scale experimental farmers and graziers, John and George were staunch members of the South Australian Pastoralists' Union. Both brothers sat in the South Australian parliament.

Image: SLSA B9866 1869

Ridley, John 1806 - 1887

Miller, inventor and preacher. Ridley arrived in South Australia in 1839 took over the flour-mill of the South Australian Co. and began growing wheat on land he bought at Hindmarsh. Over 2 years he developed, improved and manufactured a grain harvesting machine and within five years over fifty were operating in the province and others had been exported. He was the first practical producer of such a machine. In 1844 he was awarded a special prize by the Agricultural and Horticultural Society and in 1858 he was thanked by the South Australian parliament for a service that had helped to make possible the vast increase of wheat-growing in the province.

Image: SLSA B 47769/2H

Rowell, James 1851 - 1940

Soldier, orchardist and politician. Although he had a distinguished military career, Rowell's made himself highly skilled in the horticultural field and did much to advance the interests of the primary producer in South Australia. He served on the South Australian Board of Agriculture and for nearly half a century was a councillor of the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia and for some years its president. He also served as a member of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens Board.

Image: SLSA PRG280-1-13-232 1914

S

Salter, Edward 1837 - 1913

Vigneron. Edward was instrumental in developing Saltram wines near Angaston, which he promoted around Australia. W. Salter & Son were among the South Australian exhibitors who won a medal at the 1876 Philadelphia International Exhibition. In 1888 Edward was first chairman of the Nuriootpa District Agricultural Bureau and he became a member of the South Australian Vinegrowers' Association.

Image: SLSA PRG1642-25-99 1901

Salter, William 1804 - 1871

Vigneron. William Salter had land near Angaston, he named Mamre Brook, and moved there in 1844. First interested in cattle, he prospered when he turned to sheep. In 1859, with his son Edward, he formed W. Salter & Son and started a vineyard, planting shiraz vines. The vineyard prospered mainly under the direction of his son Edward while William continued his interests in sheep and cattle.

Image: Salter Family

Sandford, Sir James Wallace 1879 - 1958

Merchant and politician. Attended Roseworthy Agricultural College, before studying at the University of London. He joined his father's company, AW Sandford & Co., which were influential general merchants, food processors and engineers, having pioneered intercolonial markets for dairy and other farm produce. In 1911, James took control of the company, of which he was chairman and managing director for the rest of his life. It specialised in importing agricultural machinery and general merchandise from Britain. As a member of the Legislative Council, he advocated reciprocity of trade within the British Empire and stressed the interdependence of industry and primary producers.

Image: SLSA BRG386-19 1950

Schomburgk, Richard Moritz 1811 - 1891

Botanist, horticulturist and Director of Botanic Gardens. Schomburgk came to South Australia in 1849 and moved to north of Gawler where he planted a vineyard. By 1862 he had about five acres (2 ha) of verdelho and mataro grapevines from which he made a small quantity of wine, and also grew table grapes. In 1865 Schomburgk was appointed curator of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. He distributed plants and trees to public bodies and was responsible for the planting of Wellington Square, North Terrace, the Government House gardens, Marble Hill and the government farm at Belair. He spoke and wrote widely on the importance of forests for their effect on climate as well as for their economic value. His work on the introduction and acclimatization of plants and seeds of economic importance was amongst his most important contributions to the colony. His introduction of three new wheat strains, a phylloxera-resistant vine and new grasses that were drought tolerant were important benefits for farmers.

Image: SLSA B22973 1865

Seppelt, Oscar Benno 1873 - 1963

Winemaker and viticulturist. In 1902 Oscar took charge of operations at Seppeltsfield and his brothers managed branches in other States. The enterprise expanded rapidly. From 1914, Seppelt bought a number of local and interstate wineries and in 1916 he became managing director. While directing these developments, Seppelt retained his interest in the practical and scientific aspects of production. He designed and patented a wine-pasteurizer which began to be manufactured for sale in 1927. Seppelt was a member and chairman of the Federal Viticultural Council of Australia and chairman of the Wholesale Winemakers' and Brandy Distillers' Association. He supported the introduction of a diploma course in oenology at Roseworthy Agricultural College in 1936.

Image: seppeltsfield.blogspot.com

Seppelt, Joseph Ernst 1813 - 1868

Vigneron. Joseph Ernst Seppelt arrived in Adelaide in 1850 and purchased 158 acres of land in the Barossa Valley in 1852. He named the property Seppeltsfield and later made his first wine in his wife's dairy. The business expanded rapidly and Seppelt concentrated on the production of table wines, liqueurs and cordials. Seppelt did not live long enough to see the business prosper, as he died at Seppeltsfield in 1868.

Image: Image SLSA B 54745

Shearer, David 1850 - 1936

Agricultural machinery manufacturer and inventor. With brother John established a significant business supporting farmers with tough, durable equipment including grubbing machines, fixed ploughs, scarifiers, harrows, strippers and tillage implements. By 1902 a lighter, stronger stripper, with a wider cut, and farm wagons were being manufactured in Mannum and Adelaide.

Image: https://www.google.com.au/

Shearer, John 1845 - 1932

Agricultural machinery manufacturer and inventor. With brother David established a significant business supporting farmers with tough, durable equipment including grubbing machines, fixed ploughs, scarifiers, harrows, strippers and tillage implements. John invented wrought-steel ploughshares, which were patented throughout Australasia; these were an improvement on the brittle cast-iron shares in general use. By 1902 a lighter, stronger stripper, with a wider cut, and farm wagons were being manufactured in Mannum and Adelaide.

Image: trove.nla.gov.au: News Monday 31 January 1927 p 6

Top of page