Philip Santo
South Australian
Commissioner of Public Works
In office
8 October 1861 – 17 October 1861
PremierGeorge Waterhouse
Preceded byAlexander Hay
Succeeded byJohn Lindsay
In office
15 July 1863 – 4 August 1864
PremierHenry Ayers
Preceded byWilliam Townsend
Succeeded byWilliam Milne
In office
20 September 1865 – 23 October 1865
PremierHenry Ayers
Preceded byFrancis Dutton
Succeeded byThomas English
In office
3 May 1867 – 24 September 1868
PremierHenry Ayers
Preceded byThomas English
Succeeded byWilliam Everard
In office
13 October 1868 – 3 November 1868
PremierHenry Ayers
Preceded byWilliam Everard
Succeeded byJohn Colton
Personal details
Born(1818-08-07)7 August 1818
Saltash, Cornwall, England
Died17 December 1889(1889-12-17) (aged 71)
Adelaide, South Australia
SpouseElizabeth Pean

Philip Santo (7 August 1818 – 17 December 1889) was a South Australian politician and businessman.

History

Santo was born at Saltash, Cornwall, and trained to be a carpenter. At the age of 22 he left for South Australia on the ship Brightman, arriving in Adelaide in December 1840. He worked as a builder in Adelaide, then Burra. He moved to Melbourne during the rush to the Victorian goldfields but soon returned to set up a shop in Grote Street near Victoria Square in 1857, then Waymouth Street from 1866, then from 1873 as Philip Santo & Co in Waymouth Street and Lipson Street Port Adelaide; initially selling timber. then building materials then general hardware, riverboats and ships. By 1880 they had diversified into such disparate goods as patent medicines, perfumes and flavourings, American waggons, brooms, "kerosine", "gasoline" and cabinet organs.[1] He was reported as the 1867 purchaser of Levi & Watt's newly-completed warehouse at 96 King William Street (now the site of the Commonwealth Bank) which became a warehouse for drapery wholesaler D. & W. Murray,[2] but it appears he was acting for one T. Martin, an English investor.[3]

Santo's Buildings, Waymouth Street, Adelaide

In 1880 his company erected a new building on Waymouth Street, designed by architect D. Garlick. Tenants included Conigrave & Collison, agents and patent attorneys, and the S.A. Chamber of Manufactures. Santo's company ceased advertising around 1890.

Santo was elected to the South Australian House of Assembly in 1860 for the City of Adelaide district, 1862 and 1865 for East Adelaide then in 1868 for Barossa and was appointed Commissioner of Public works on a number of occasions for various periods, first in the Waterhouse cabinet, then with Henry Ayers to 1868. He lost his seat in 1870, during which year he was elected to the Legislative Council and held that seat for 21 years.[4][5]

He was an active member of the Christian Church, of which Rev. Thomas Playford and Herbert Hussey were contemporary adherents, and as an Elder frequently preached in their chapels in Grote Street and Bentham Street.

He had residences "Clapham Park" in Mitcham[6] and "Fernleigh House" on West Terrace, Adelaide, where he died.[7]

Family

Santo married Elizabeth Pean (23 September 1816 – 28 February 1904); they had four daughters and one son:

References

  1. ^ "General Merchandise". South Australian Advertiser. 5 April 1886. p. 8. Retrieved 12 December 2022 – via Trove.
  2. ^ "Destruction of Messrs. Murray's Drapery Establishment by Fire". South Australian Register. 10 February 1868. p. 3. Retrieved 20 March 2017 – via Trove.
  3. ^ "Romantic Adelaide". The Mail. 21 January 1928. p. 1. Retrieved 20 March 2017 – via Trove.
  4. ^ "Hon Philip Santo". Former members of the Parliament of South Australia. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  5. ^ "Death of Mr. Philip Santo". The Advertiser. 18 December 1889. p. 5. Retrieved 15 April 2011 – via Trove.
  6. ^ "The Adelphian Class". South Australian Register. 11 November 1870. p. 6. Retrieved 17 December 2019 – via Trove.
  7. ^ "Death of Hon. P. Santo". South Australian Register. 18 December 1889. p. 6. Retrieved 16 April 2011 – via Trove.
  8. ^ "Gravesecrets.net - gravesecrets Resources and Information".

 

South Australian House of Assembly Preceded byBoyle Finniss Member for City of Adelaide 1860 – 1862 Served alongside: Thomas Reynolds, James Boucaut, Matthew Moorhouse. Samuel Bakewell, William Parkin District abolished New district Member for East Adelaide 1862 – 1868 Served alongside: Thomas Reynolds, William Bakewell Succeeded byRobert Cottrell Preceded byJames Martin Member for Barossa 1868 – 1870 Served alongside: Richard Baker Succeeded byWalter Duffield Government offices Preceded byAlexander Hay Commissioner of Public Works 8 Oct 1861 – 17 Oct 1861 Succeeded byJohn Lindsay Preceded byWilliam Townsend Commissioner of Public Works 15 Jul 1863 – 4 Aug 1864 Succeeded byWilliam Milne Preceded byFrancis Dutton Commissioner of Public Works 20 Sep 1865 – 23 Oct 1865 Succeeded byThomas English Preceded byThomas English Commissioner of Public Works 3 May 1867 – 24 Sep 1868 Succeeded byWilliam Everard Preceded byWilliam Everard Commissioner of Public Works 13 Oct 1868 – 3 Nov 1868 Succeeded byJohn Colton
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