George Strickland Kingston

George Strickland Kingston (August 1807 in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland – 1880 at sea) arrived in South Australia on the "Cygnet" in 1836. He had been employed as the Deputy Surveyor to William Light to survey the new colony of South Australia. It has been suggested that Kingston was responsible for the surveying and planning of the City of Adelaide, with the credit later being given to Light. ( [http://www.adelaidereview.com.au/archives/2004_07/issuesandopinion_story2.shtml Adelaide Review article] .)

Career

Kingston purchased eighty acres (32 hectares) of land for Kingston Historical House in 1839 in the area now known as Kingston Park. Kingston had developed into a prominent civil engineer and architect, developing his own style of residential building now commonly referred to as the Kingston Style (similar to the Georgian Style of architecture). Up to 1851, Kingston had completed several upgrades and remodelling of the original building and had made it into a suitable summer residence for his large family. Kingston was also involved in more public projects and in 1858 he was part of the team who surveyed the town of Kingston SE as a part of a private investment.

In 1851, Kingston was sworn in as a member of South Australia's first elected parliament and held his seat in the Legislative Council until he retired in October 1880. In 1854, Kingston became the first Speaker of the newly established House of Assembly, a position he also retained until his retirement.

Kingston was knighted in 1870 despite holding a strong republican outlook for the future of Australia. Kingston died in 1880 aboard the "RMS Malwa" on his way to India and he was buried at sea.

There is no known statue or dedication to Sir George Strickland Kingston in Adelaide, the city he designed.

Personal life

Sir George Strickland Kingston was one of five children of George Kingston and Hester Holland. His father owned a lumberyard and tenement Kingston Buildings, and is credited with being involved in the three canal plans for Bandon.

Sir George Strickland Kingston married three times as a result of being unfortunately widowed in his first two marriages. He first married Henrietta Ann McDonough in 1829. She died ten years later and their only child died soon after birth. Six children were born to his second wife, Ludovina Catherina da Silva Cameron, after their marriage on 10 April 1841. She died ten years later and Kingston married Emma Lipson on 4 December 1856 (no children resulted from this marriage). His youngest son, Charles Cameron Kingston, who was born in his second marriage, later become the Premier of South Australia from 1893–1899.

It is also a little known fact that Kingston was one of the founding members of the Freemasons South Australian Lodge of Friendship No. 613 (under a Warrant or Charter of Constitution which was issued at Adelphi, London, England on 22 October 1834). The original Lodge to which Kingston belonged was Irish Lodge No 81. Kingston was the first Senior Warden of the new South Australian Lodge and on 14 August 1838, Kingston became the newly elected Master.

Buildings and Surveys attributed to Sir George Strickland Kingston

* Ayers House, Adelaide
* Old Adelaide Gaol, Adelaide.
* Original Treasury Building, Victoria Square, Adelaide.
* Government House, Adelaide.
* Customs House, Glenelg.
* Cummins House, 23 Sheoak Avenue, Adelaide.
* Colonel William Light Monument, Light Square, Adelaide (relocated to Montefiore Hill).
* Kingston House, Brighton.
* Residential Cottage Home, 3 Market Street, Burra (Heritage Listed).
* Kingston also owned a town acre block on the corner of West Terrace and Grote Street, Adelaide.
* Numerous other residential, commercial and government buildings, however records are difficult to find.

Kingston's name has been applied to the Hundred of Kingston, Mount Kingston near Lake Eyre, Kingston Park (a suburb of Adelaide) and the township of Kingston SE. The township of Kingston-on-Murray was named after his son, Sir Charles Cameron Kingston.

Further reading

* Langmead, Donald "Accidental Architect: the Life and Times of George Strickland Kingston", Darlinghurst; Crossing Press, 1994 ISBN 0-646-16006-0
* Sansom, P "History of the First Fifty Years of the South Australian Lodge of Friendship from 1834 to 1884", Adelaide, 1886

External links

* [http://www.communitywebs.org/~KPDC] Website of the Kingston Park Development Committee, containing historical information regarding Kingston House, George Kingston and Charles Kingston.