The Founding Families - George Fife Angas (1789 - 1879)

George Fife Angas (1789-1879), merchant, banker, landowner and philanthropist,

was born on 1 May 1789 at Newcastle, England, 

By 1822 Angas was carrying the main burden of his father's large establishment at

Newcastle, with branches in British ports, the West Indies and Spanish America.

In 1824 he moved to London to form the shipping business of G. F. Angas & Co. 

Angas's interest in Australia originated through correspondence with Lieutenant-Governor 

(Sir) George Arthur in Van Diemen's Land, Captain Frederick Irwin in Western Australia

and missionaries in New Zealand and other islands of the south Pacific.

In 1832 he joined the committee of the South Australian Land Co., claiming less interest

in systematic colonization than in founding a colony where, with no established church

and no convicts, his fellow Dissenters might enjoy civil and religious liberty. 

By April 1836 Angas had equipped and sent out two whalers, a storeship and a coastal

trader, although the cost of conveying crews and labourers was charged to the

commission's emigration fund. Under the company's colonial manager, Samuel Stephens,

a settlement was made at Kingscote on Kangaroo Island, but it did not flourish and was

closed after five years. 

By careful management, a good deal of luck and the efforts of his 'Confidential Clerk'

Charles Flaxman, Angas was able to make the Company an important part of the young colony.

It was also Flaxman who selected seven special surveys for Angas, a total area of 105.000 acres. Todays Angaston, Keyneton,Nuriootpa, Stockwell, Tanunda and Truro are within its boundary. 

Although it lasted more than a hundred years it never became that important for South Australia to be called a Company Colony. Having invested a very large part of his money in the colony it was only natural for him to take a deep and personal interest in South Australia. As early as 1839 he became a director of a company which proposed to build a railway from Port Adelaide to Adelaide. In 1840, his 304 ton Caleb Angas, a fast sailing first class ship, arrived with supplies from London.

All the time Angas worked hard to promote South Australia and find the best opportunities for his Company to make good profits for its shareholders. He gave lectures on the conditions and prospects of South Australia in some of the larger towns in the north of England. These were 'attended by numerous and respectable audiences and excited very considerable interest'. He also was able to convince members of his own family to settle in the new colony.

In 1843 Angas sent his nineteen year old son, John Howard, to Adelaide to manage his affairs. Another son, George French, also sailed for Australia were he became a well known artist portraying many of the early colonial scenes before the advent of cameras. In 1851 Angas emigrated himself to settle in South Australia for a new life of success, wealth, honour and to enter its political life.

The town of Angaston, first known as German Pass, was laid out by Angas in 1857. 

 

 

 

 

Sources: 

 

• G. Sutherland, The South Australian Company (Lond, 1898)

South Australian History Website:http://www.southaustralianhistory.com.au/angas.htm