Benjamin Boothby (1831 - 1883)

Born 16 Feb 1831 in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Ann (Warland) Boothby — married 1 Dec 1859 in Blakiston, South Australia, Australia

Descendants

Died 13 Aug 1883 at age 52 in Glenelg, South Australia, Australia

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Biography

Benjamin Boothby was born on 16 February 1831at Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England. He was the son of Benjamin Boothby and Maria Robinson.^[1]

Benjamin arrived in South Australia on 28 August 1853 aboard the Indemnity from London. He travelled with his parents, Justice and Mrs Boothby, and several brothers and sisters.^[2]

Benjamin, the second son, was appointed a surveyor with the South Australian Central Road Board in 1854. He became manager of the waterworks in 1861 but, after a bitter dispute with the engineer over plans for a new reservoir, returned to the Road Board. In the economic recession of 1870 his office was abolished and he practised as an engineering consultant. In 1872-73 he superintended the construction of the Adelaide-Glenelg railway and managed it until he retired in 1879. ^[3]

On 1 December 1859, Benjamin married Mary Ann Warland at St James Church, Blakiston, South Australia.^[4]

Benjamin and Mary had eight children:

• Osbert Boothby (1860 - 1929);
• Hugo Boothby (1863 - 1954);
• Theodoric Boothby (1864 = 1932);
• Alicia Boothby (1866 - 1866);
• Leofric Boothby (1869 = 1937);
• Ralph Boothby (c.1871 – 1945);
• Gilbert Boothby ( c.1873 - 1946); and
• Mary Elizabeth Boothby (1883 – 1974).

Benjamin passed away on 13 August 1883 at Glenelg, South Australia, 4 months before the birth of his daughter Mary.^[5]

THE LATE MB. BENJAMIN BOOTHBY.
After a lingering illness Mr. Benjamin Boothby, C.E, who was well known throughout the colony, died early OD Monday morning, August 13, at his residence, Glenelg. The deceased gentleman was the second son of the late Mr. Justice Boothby, and was born in Nottingham in 1829. He came to the colony in the year 1853, and during the next year was appointed Superintending Surveyor of the Southern District of tho Central Road Board. He occupied this position for about six years, and accepted the office of Manager of Waterworks on March 11, 1861. On February 19, 1868, he returned to the Central Road Board service as Superintending Surveyor of the North-Eastern District, and remained there until December 31, 1870, when the office was abolished. He practised his profession for a short time, and in 1872 he superintended the construction o! the Glenelg Railway line, which was successfully opened in 1873. He occupied tho position of General Manager and Engineer of that line until 1879, and since that time he has lived in retirement. Mr. Boothby was of a quiet and retiring nature, and did not come prominently before the general public, but he enjoyed the highest esteem of a large circle of friends. He leaves a widow and six sons, and his several brothers, who are well known in official and commercial circles.

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NPN1-QLT : 5 February 2023), Benjamin Boothby, 1831.
2. ↑ SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. (1853, August 29). Adelaide Times (SA : 1848 - 1858), p. 2. Retrieved February 14, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207120400
3. ↑ G. N. Hawker, 'Boothby, Benjamin (1831–1883)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/boothby-benjamin-3321/text4437, published first in hardcopy 1969, accessed online 16 February 2023.
4. ↑ South Australia 'Marriage Registrations' Database: Entry for BOOTHBY Benjamin and WARLAND Mary Ann married 01-Dec-1859 at St James Blakiston. Groom age: 28. Groom marital status: N. Groom father: Benjamin BOOTHBY. Bride age: 18. Bride Marital Status: N. Bride father: William WARLAND. District: Mount Barker . Book/Page: 40/313. Notes: Not Recorded (at genealogysa.org.au accessed 11 February 2023).
5. ↑ South Australia Death Registrations Database: Entry for BOOTHBY Benjamin died 13-Aug-1883. Age 52. Gender: M. Marital Status: N. Place of Death: Glenelg. Residence: Glenelg. Relative: Not Recorded. District: Adelaide. Book/Page: 130/102. Notes: Not Recorded (at genealogysa.org.au accessed 14 February 2023).