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Fourth son of George Elder,
merchant, was born at Kirkcaldy, Scotland, in 1818. His elder brother,
Alexander Lang Elder (1815-85), went to South Australia in 1839 and
founded the firm of Elder and Company at Adelaide. In August 1851 he was
elected a member of the legislative council for West Adelaide but resigned
his seat in March 1853, and returned to England to become the London
representative of Elder and Company. He died there on 5 September 1885.
Thomas Elder came to Adelaide in June 1854 and was given a share in the
business of which later on he became the chief partner, In 1863 R. Barr
Smith became a partner, and the business, now known as Elder Smith and
Company, developed into one of the largest and most prosperous in
Australia. Elder, however, had other important interests. He became
associated with Peter Waite (q.v.) in the Paratoo run in 1862, in the same
year bought Beltana station, and eventually became the owner of an
enormous tract of country. He was said to have held at one time a pastoral
area greater in extent than the whole of Scotland. Much of this was land
with a very low rainfall, and Elder spent a great deal of money sinking
artesian wells, making dams and fencing. In 1862 he introduced camels from
India with Afghan attendants, which were of much use in the dry areas and
in conveying supplies from Port Augusta. They became an important factor
in the development of the northern area of South Australia. Elder
encouraged exploration, contributed largely to Warburton's (q.v.) 1873
expedition and Giles's (q.v.) in 1875, supplying camels in each case,
which proved to be of the greatest value. He also contributed liberally to
the cost of other explorations, and in no case sought or obtained any
return for himself. On one occasion he offered £5000 on condition that a
like sum was subscribed by the public to finance an expedition to the
Antarctic Ocean, but the condition was not fulfilled. Elder was also
fortunate in his mining ventures. Early in the sixties he had large
interests in the Moonta and Wallaroo copper-mines which brought hint in a
fortune. He entered political life as a member of the legislative council
in 1863 but retired in 1869. He was again elected in 1871, but resigned in
1878 and took no further part in politics. He had a severe illness in 1887
and shortly afterwards retired. Elder Smith and Company was formed into a
public company, and Elder henceforth lived chiefly in the country. He died
at Mount Lofty on 6 March 1897. He never married. He was knighted in 1878
and created G.C.M.G. in 1887.
Elder was much interested
in horses and made the breeding of blood stock a hobby. He was a leading
racing man between 1875 and 1884 and had the highest reputation. It was
well-known that any horse bearing his colours was in the race to win. He
sold his race-horses in 1884 but continued his stud. He supported every
kind of manly sport and his benefactions both private and public were
widespread and almost without limit. In 1874 he gave £20,000 towards an
endowment fund for the university of Adelaide, and with later gifts and
bequests the total amount received by this institution from him was just
short of £100,000. The Elder conservatorium of music perpetuates his name.
The art gallery at Adelaide received a bequest Of £25,000, and many of the
finest pictures of the gallery were purchased from this fund. |
