Charles Rischbieth

Charles Rischbieth (1835 – 5 April 1893) was a leading businessman in the early days of the colony of South Australia.

History

Rischbieth was born in Neustadt am Rubenberge, near Hanover, Germany and emigrated to South Australia in 1853 with a number of young German migrants. He worked for a time in the drapery of R. B. Lucas in Hindley Street, but was hampered by his imperfect English. He next worked for McArthur, Kingsborough and Co.,^[1] He and Carl Bolk were admitted into the partnership of G. & R. Wills & Co., and a few years later married Elizabeth Susan Wills, a niece of George and Richard Wills. In 1869, he succeeded Robert Alfred Tarlton as managing director of the company. In 1875 Rischbieth retired from active management of G. & R. Wills & Co., but continued to act as an agent for George Wills, who had long before returned to London.^[2]

Rischbieth was a Director of the Commercial Bank of South Australia at the time of its collapse.

Pastoralist

In 1875 Rischbieth and partners began the development of Coralbignie Station in the Gawler Ranges and Mount Nor'-West near Farina.

Family

He married Elizabeth Susan Wills (7 November 1842 – 15 January 1908) on 2 July 1862; they lived at "Kolendo", Farrell Street, Glenelg. She died at Acton Vale, Port Elliot. Their children included:

• Mary Louise Rischbieth (2 May 1863 – 1 April 1897)
• Charles Frederick Rischbieth (1865 – 22 February 1937) married Nellie Mary Newman on 3 May 1894
• Henry Wills Rischbieth (c. 1868 – 25 March 1925) married reformer Bessie Mabel Earle (16 October 1874 – 13 March 1967), a niece of William Rounsevell, on 22 October 1898 and moved to Western Australia, where he founded the wool broking firm of Henry Wills & Co.^[3]
• Elizabeth Susan "Lillie" Rischbieth (1867 – 14 June 1929) married accountant George Arthur Jury (c. 1851 – 9 April 1932) on 9 September 1890. She was his second wife, his first, Mary née Wiedenhofer, having taken her own life.^[4]

• Charles Rischbieth Jury (13 September 1893 – 22 August 1958), poet and Professor of English at Adelaide University
• George Rischbieth Jury (7 April 1895 – 18 September 1916) was killed at The Somme.

• Harold Rischbieth MD FRCS (c. 1875 – 13 November 1943) married Eileen May de la Poer Beresford, a grand-daughter of John Acraman, on 3 May 1916
• youngest daughter Hilda Rischbieth married Leslie Gardner Stock on 21 June 1906

References