Sir Henry Ayers - Overview, Legacy

Politician, born in Portsea, Hampshire, S England, UK. He emigrated to South Australia in 1841 and took up a post with the South Australia Mining Association, with which he was associated for 50 years. Elected in 1863 to the first Legislative Council for the state under responsible government, he was a member of the Council for 36 years, and premier on several occasions. Ayers Rock was named after him in 1873.

Sir Henry Ayers (1 May 1821 – 11 June 1897) was a Premier of South Australia who is best remembered for having Ayers Rock (now Uluru) named for him.

Overview

Henry Ayers was born at Portsea, England, on 1 May 1821. He made his wealth from the Burra Burra Copper Mines, which was known as the "Monster Mine" that secured the wealth of the colony of South Australia. For many years the whole colony formed one electorate for the council, and on two occasions, in 1865 and 1873, Ayers headed the poll.

In March 1863 he was selected as one of the three South Australian representatives at the inter-colonial conference, and on 4 July 1863 he became minister without portfolio in the first Dutton cabinet. This ministry resigned 11 days later, and Ayers formed his first ministry as premier and chief secretary on 15 July 1863. Ayers reconstructed his ministry on 22 July 1864 but was defeated, and resigned on 4 August. The Blyth ministry which was then formed included Ayers as chief secretary, but did not survive a general election and resigned on 22 March 1865. When Dutton formed his second ministry Ayers had his old position as chief secretary, and still retaining that office, formed his third administration on 20 September 1865 which lasted little more than a month. Ayers became premier again from May 1867 to September 1868, October to November 1868, January to March 1872, and with an entirely new team of ministers, from March 1872 to July 1873.

Legacy

Ayers established a great position as a trusted man of business. He was the first Chairman of the South Australian Gas Company, was a governor of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens from 1862, president of the South Australian Old Colonists' Association, and was for many years on the council of the University of Adelaide. He was in parliament for an unbroken term of 37 years and in no other Australian colony or state has a politician exercised so much influence or been in so many ministries while a member of the upper house. It is probable, however, that if Ayers had been in the House of Assembly he would have had more control of business, and his seven premierships would have been longer in duration and more fruitful in results.

Sir Ayers resided in Ayers House from 1855 until 1897 and built it from a 9-room house into a grand mansion in the 1860s. The youngest child, Lucy, was born at Ayers House. During Sir Ayer's parliametary service, Ayers House was used for Cabinet meetings, parliamentary dinners and grand balls.