Daniel Fisher

Daniel Fisher (11 November 1812 – 2 June 1884) was a grain merchant and politician in the young colony of South Australia. History Daniel Fisher was born in Bradford, Wiltshire, son of James Fisher (1785–1837) and his wife Sarah Fisher (c. 1787– ), and was transported to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) aged 15, for what he was later to describe as "an unfortunate mistake" and "a boyish escapade, involving no moral offence" for which he was later exonerated and, on a petition from John Baker received a Royal Pardon. He married Harriet Brown in Hobart Town on 6 November 1837 (Rev. William Bedford officiating) and moved to South Australia aboard the Timbo, arriving at Port Adelaide in April 1846. He set up in business as a cornfactor and seedsman (grain merchant) in Rundle Street. His brother Charles arrived in Adelaide in 1848, for a time working as a contractor then joined Daniel as "Fisher Brothers", (not to be confused with the earlier hardware firm of the same name run by the unrelated James Hurtle Fisher). Charles left the partnership in October 1856 and set up in Grenfell Street on his own account. Daniel joined the gold rush to Victoria, but returned to Adelaide without having made a fortune. Other members of his family joined him in South Australia. He was convicted of assault after repeatedly charging his brother-in-law George P. Harris (co-founder of Harris Scarfe) on horseback and making threatening gestures. In a letter to the Adelaide Times, D. Fisher stated that there was great provocation given. Public life He was prominent in the defence of John Stephens, editor of the South Australian Register. He served on the Adelaide City Council from 1852 to 1855 and retired from business in 1856. He visited England in 1861, and in 1865 contested the election for seat of East Torrens in the South Australian House of Assembly but was unsuccessful. Two years later one of the successful candidates, Neville Blyth, resigned on a point of honour, and Fisher won the resulting by-election and served from July 1867 to May 1870. His colleagues were Randolph Isham Stow, who resigned in May 1868 then George Pearce. He was elected Mayor of the Town of Kensington and Norwood in 1862.