Thomas Wilde Boothby

Thomas Wilde Boothby (9 December 1839 – 19 June 1885),[1] generally known by his full name, or as "T. Wilde Boothby", was a politician in the British colony of South Australia.

History

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Boothby was born the seventh son of Benjamin Boothby (1803–1868) and most likely named for his father's friend and benefactor Thomas Wilde, 1st Baron Truro.[2] He worked as a commission agent and auctioneer.

He and his brother James Henry Boothby took up a lease on a property on the Coorong which they named Tintinara.[3]

He was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Victoria from June 1873 to February 1875.[1]

He moved from Naracoorte to Strathalbyn around 1873 and to Adelaide in 1874. His wife and two sons left Australia in January 1874.[4] In 1878 he was declared insolvent.[5]

He is perhaps best remembered as father of Guy Boothby (1867–1907) private secretary to Adelaide mayor Lewis Cohen, traveller and author with a significant career in England, and of Ben Boothby (1870– ), artist and companion on Guy's journeys, and also a writer of popular fiction,[6] who completed several of his brother's unfinished stories,[7] and illustrated others.[8] He was by profession a land agent in Bloomsbury, London.

Family

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Thomas Wilde Boothby married Mary Agnes Hodding (1843 – 16 July 1907) on 10 March 1864. Their family included:

  • Guy Newell Boothby (13 October 1867 – 26 February 1907) private secretary to mayor, successful author in England. He also he wrote libretti for two comic operas Sylvia (1890, Adelaide) and The Jonquil (1891).
  • Benjamin "Ben" Boothby (28 January 1870 – ), companion on Guy's journeys, was also a writer of popular fiction,[6] and completed several of his brother's unfinished stories.[7] and illustrated others.[8] He was in business land agent of Bloomsbury, London.
  • youngest son Robert Cecil Boothby (7 July 1872 – ) married Constance Ellen Miall ( – ) on 2 June 1906. He was stockbroker of Sydenham, Kent.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Mr Thomas Boothby". Former members of the Parliament of South Australia. Retrieved 23 August 2022. This reference, alone, spells his middle (preferred) name "Wylde".
  2. ^ Greg Taylor. "The Early Life of Mr. Justice Boothby" (PDF). University of Adelaide. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Personal". The Australasian. 11 December 1920. p. 45. Retrieved 2 July 2015 – via Trove.
  4. ^ "XIII.- Appendix. Shipping Intelligence". The South Australian Advertiser. 31 January 1874. p. 7. Retrieved 2 July 2015 – via Trove.
  5. ^ "Insolvency Court". South Australian Chronicle and Weekly Mail. 26 October 1878. p. 10. Retrieved 7 July 2015 – via Trove.
  6. ^ a b "Exciting story". The Evening News. 16 April 1907. p. 3. Retrieved 2 July 2015 – via Trove.
  7. ^ a b "Literary notes". The Register. 16 November 1907. p. 11. Retrieved 2 July 2015 – via Trove.
  8. ^ a b "Personalities". Quiz and The Lantern. 16 January 1896. p. 6. Retrieved 2 July 2015 – via Trove.
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