24 Facts About Henry Ayers

Henry Ayers's lasting memorial was in the name Ayers Rock, now better-known as Uluru, which was named in 1873 by the explorer William Gosse.

Henry Ayers Roach was chief Captain, responsible for day-to-day operations, from 1847 to 1867.

For nearly 50 years, Henry Ayers was in control of the operation, known as the "Monster Mine", initially as the secretary and later as the managing director.

Henry Ayers made his wealth from the mine, which secured the wealth of the colony of South Australia.

On 9 March 1857, Henry Ayers was elected to the first South Australian Legislative Council under responsible government, the youngest member elected.

Henry Ayers was continuously a member for over 36 years.

For many years the whole colony formed a single electorate for the council; on two occasions Henry Ayers headed the poll.

In March 1863 Henry Ayers was selected as one of the three South Australian representatives at the inter-colonial conference on uniform tariffs and inland customs duties.

Henry Ayers represented the colony at several other conferences from 1864 to 1877.

On 4 July 1863 Henry Ayers became minister without portfolio in the first Dutton cabinet.

Henry Ayers formed his first ministry as Premier and Chief Secretary on 15 July 1863.

Henry Ayers reconstructed his ministry on 22 July 1864 but was defeated, and resigned on 4 August 1864.

When Dutton formed his second ministry, Henry Ayers regained his old position as chief secretary and, still retaining that office, formed his third administration on 20 September 1865, which lasted just over a month.

Henry Ayers became the premier again from May 1867 to September 1868, October to November 1868,27 January 1872 to March 1872 and, with an entirely new team of ministers, from March 1872 to July 1873.

Henry Ayers held the position of chief secretary in the Colton ministry from June 1876 to October 1877, his last term of office.

In 1881, Henry Ayers was elected President of the South Australian Legislative Council and, until December 1893, carried out his duties with ability, impartiality and courtesy.

Henry Ayers's wife had died in 1881, and he was survived by three sons and a daughter.

Henry Ayers was created a CMG in 1870, knighted a KCMG in 1872, and raised to GCMG in 1894.

Apart from his mining interests, Henry Ayers held important directorates and was a long-term member and chairman of the board of trustees of the Savings Bank of South Australia, being re-appointed chairman only a few days before his death.

Henry Ayers was the first chairman of the South Australian Gas Company, was a governor of the Adelaide Botanic Gardensfrom 1862, was president of the South Australian Old Colonists' Association, and was, for many years, on the council of the University of Adelaide.

Henry Ayers was in parliament for an unbroken term of 37 years and in no other Australian colony or state has a politician exercised so much influence or been in so many ministries while a member of the upper house.

Henry Ayers resided in Henry Ayers House from 1855 until 1897 and, in the 1860s, expanded it from a nine-room house into a grand mansion.

Henry Ayers married Anne Potts at Alverstokein around 1839.

Henry Ayers' remains were buried at the West Terrace Cemetery.