Richard Butler

Sir Richard Butler (3 December 1850 – 28 April 1925) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly from 1890 to 1924, representing Yatala (1890–1902) and Barossa (1902–1924). He served as Premier of South Australia from March to July 1905 and Leader of the Opposition from 1905 to 1909. Butler would also variously serve as Speaker of the House of Assembly (1921–1924), and as a minister under Premiers Charles Kingston, John Jenkins and Archibald Peake. His son, Richard Layton Butler, went on to serve as Premier from 1927 to 1930 and 1933 to 1938. Early life Richard Butler was born at Stadhampton, near Oxford, England, elder son of Richard Butler, père and his wife Mary Eliza, née Sadler. They emigrated with their two children Mary and Richard to South Australia, arriving in Adelaide on 8 March 1854, following Richard pères brother Philip, who emigrated fourteen years earlier, made a fortune as a pastoralist and landowner, established Mallala sheep station, and built a two-storey homestead on his property Yattalunga station (also spelled "Yatalunga"), near Gawler, then returned to England in December 1857. Richard père took over management of "Mallala" and "Yattalunga", where the growing family (see below) lived until around 1870. Young Richard was educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide, then spent many years as a farmer and grazier. He was a Justice of the Peace before he was 30. Political career Butler attempted to enter parliament early in 1890 when he stood for Yatala but was defeated. A few months later he won the seat at a by-election caused by the death of James Cowan. On 13 April 1898 he succeeded Cockburn as minister of agriculture in the Kingston ministry which resigned in December 1899. Yatala was abolished in 1902 and Butler represented Barossa from 3 May 1902 to 4 April 1924.