Thomas Playford II

Thomas Playford (26 November 1837 – 19 April 1915) served as Premier of South Australia from 11 June 1887 to 26 June 1889 and 8 August 1890 to 20 June 1892, as well as serving as the Australian Federal Minister for Defence from 1905 to 1907.

Born in Bethnal Green, London in 1837, Playford moved to Adelaide in 1844 with his family and initially worked as a farmer prior to entering politics in April 1868 as the Member for Onkaparinga in the South Australian colonial parliament. He gained the sobriquet "Honest Tom" for his forthright and straightforward manner, although these same qualities would earn him the occasional disapproval of fellow politicians and the electorate, and caused his defeat at the polls in 1871. Playford returned to Parliament in February 1875 as member for East Torrens and held the position of Reforming Commissioner for Crown Lands and Immigration before losing his seat yet again. His fortunes were on the up though in 1887 when he not only re-entered parliament as member for Newcastle but did so as Premier, holding that position for the next two years. During his term, his most important achievement was considered to be the implementation of the first systematic tariff system for South Australia.

Playford lost government in 1889 after a no confidence vote but regained it in 1890 following an electoral victory in August. During this second term as Premier, Playford also held the position of Treasurer of South Australia, and managed kudos for significantly reducing the colony's debt, although he spent much of his second term as Premier in India. Following his defeat, Playford moved to London in 1894 to act as Agent-General for South Australia before returning to South Australia in 1898 to serve in Charles Kingston's government from April 1899 as member for Gumeracha, until he crossed the floor in 1899 over a potential erosion of the power of the Legislative Council, bringing down the Kingston government in the process. He also found the time to involve himself in the planning of the Federation of the Australian Commonwealth and drafting the Australian Constitution. As part of this, he proposed the title "Commonwealth of Australia" and became a Protectionist Senator in the new federal parliament.

Playford acted first as Leader of the Government in the Senate and Vice-President of the Executive Council before becoming Minister for Defence. He was defeated in the 1906 election, the first serving Minister to suffer this fate. His term as a Senator ended on 31 December 1906, and his ministerial commission was terminated on 24 January 1907. Playford made one further unsuccessful attempt for election to the Senate in 1910. Playford died in Kent Town, Adelaide on 19 April 1915.

Family

His eldest daughter Annie (died 1956) married the Rev. John Henry Sexton on 30 June 1886.

On 1 January 1889 his second daughter Eliza (born 1866) married Harry J. Tuck (born 1863), younger brother of painter Marie Tuck and later headmaster at Unley High School.

Playford's grandson, Sir Thomas Playford, also served as Premier of South Australia.

References

• Jupp, J. (2004) The English in Australia, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

External links

• Parliament Profile

Parliament of South Australia
Preceded by William Milne	Member for Onkaparinga 1868–1871 Served alongside: William Townsend, Friedrich Krichauff	Succeeded by William Bundey
Preceded by George Stevenson	Member for East Torrens 1875–1887 Served alongside: Edwin Smith, David Murray	Succeeded by Saul Solomon
Preceded by Patrick Coglin	Member for Newcastle 1887–1890 Served alongside: Thomas Burgoyne	Succeeded by Joseph Hancock
Preceded by Saul Solomon	Member for East Torrens 1890–1894 Served alongside: Edwin Smith, Frederick Coneybeer	Succeeded by David Packham
Preceded by William Randell	Member for Gumeracha 1899–1901 Served alongside: Robert Homburg	Succeeded by William Jamieson
Political offices
Preceded by David Bower	Commissioner of Public Works 1884 – 1885	Succeeded by Jenkin Coles
Preceded by Jenkin Coles	Leader of the Opposition of South Australia 1887	Succeeded by John Downer
Preceded by John Downer	Premier of South Australia 1887 – 1889	Succeeded by John Cockburn
Preceded by John Cockburn	Leader of the Opposition of South Australia 1889–1890	Succeeded by Frederick Holder
	Premier of South Australia 1890 – 1892
Parliament of Australia
New division	Senator for South Australia 1901–1906	Succeeded by William Russell Joseph Vardon James O'Loghlin
Political offices
Preceded by Richard O'Connor	Vice-President of the Executive Council 1903 – 1904	Succeeded by Gregor McGregor
Preceded by James Whiteside McCay	Minister for Defence 1905 – 1907	Succeeded by Thomas Ewing
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by John Cox Bray	Agent-General for South Australia 1894–1898	Succeeded by John Cockburn