Sir Samuel Hordern was an Australian businessman, animal breeder and philanthropist. Born into the prominent Sydney trading family, he directed the family company of Anthony Hordern & Sons from 1909 to 1926, that had been started by his great grandfather as a drapery store in 1823.
Samuel Hordern II was born on 24th September 1876 in Retford Hall, Darling Point, New South Wales (Australia). He was the son of Samuel Hordern and Jane Maria Booth. [1] He was educated at Sydney Grammar School and Bath College, in England.
Samuel married Charlotte See, daughter of (later, Premier Sir) John See, on 4th March 1900 in St Jude's Church of England (now Anglican Church), Randwick. [2] Samuel immediately purchased the 1890 Federation Arts & Crafts house, Tuxedo, in Albert Road, Strathfield. The couple had one son and two daughters.
In 1910, Samuel purchased the 1837 Darling Point mansion, Mount Adelaide, from the family of Henry Mort, and commissioned architects to design and build a Federation Arts & Crafts mansion, which he named Babworth House. It became the family's primary residence from 1915.
He was a keen cattle, dog and horse breeder; as well as an owner of racehorses, including the 1919 Melbourne Cup winner 'Artilleryman'.
He was president of the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales (1915-1941) and developed the Sydney Royal Easter Show into a major national event. He was prominent in the Sydney Chamber of Commerce and many other business associations, a director of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, president of the Master Retailers' Association and chairman of the Australian Mutual Provident Society (1932–1947). He was a director of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (1913–1939) and served as chairman of the hospital board (1933–1934).
Samuel was invested Knight Bachelor in 1919 and Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the 1938 King's Birthday Honours. He was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal (1935) and King George VI Coronation Medal (1937).
Aged 79 years and having been widowed for four years, he passed away on 3rd June 1956 in Babworth House. His sister, Jane, died the same day. Following his death, the contents of Babworth House were sold at auction and the mansion sold to a trust to become a hospital. He is buried at Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematorium.
This week's featured connections are Redheads: Samuel is 19 degrees from Catherine of Aragón, 24 degrees from Clara Bow, 21 degrees from Julia Gillard, 21 degrees from Nancy Hart, 20 degrees from Rutherford Hayes, 15 degrees from Rita Hayworth, 20 degrees from Leonard Kelly, 15 degrees from Rose Leslie, 19 degrees from Damian Lewis, 25 degrees from Maureen O'Hara, 24 degrees from Jopie Schaft and 37 degrees from Eirik Thorvaldsson on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
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Categories: Australia, Notables in Service to the Community and Humanity | Knights Bachelor, George V Creation | Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire | King George V Silver Jubilee Medal | King George VI Coronation Medal | St Jude's Anglican Church, Randwick, New South Wales | Australia, Philanthropists | Australia, Business Owners | Race Horse Owners and Breeders | Sydney Grammar School, Darlinghurst, New South Wales | Darling Point, New South Wales | Australia, Notables in Commerce and Industry | Notables