Gabriel Bennett

Gabriel Bennett (23 December 1817 – 13 September 1895) was an auctioneer, stock and cattle salesman and horse breeder in South Australia. He was a founder of the stock and station agents Bennett and Fisher.

Bennett was born in London, a son of Solomon Bennett (c. 1795 – 11 January 1864) of 5 Slaverton Row, Walworth Road, London. and married in 1846.

In 1853 he emigrated to Melbourne, and the following year arrived in Adelaide and opened a butcher's shop in Currie Street then in 1857 moved to Hindley Street, then in 1863 moved into the wholesale meat trade. John Lazar was an employee. In 1865, he joined E. M. Bagot, a fellow-member of the South Australian Jockey Club committee, as partners in Bennett & Bagot, station and livestock agents, with offices in Clarke's buildings, Hindley Street, and afterwards in Gresham Street. That partnership was dissolved in October 1876, Bagot having to declare himself insolvent, and Bennett carried on business with his son Henry Bennett. This partnership, despite the business being quite profitable, ended in insolvency, due largely to embezzlement on the part of his sons Henry and (to a lesser extent) Simeon, who was employed as a clerk. Bennett continued in the same line of business alone, trading as "G. Bennett' & Co.", and made significant reparations to creditors; the sons departed for Queensland, where South Australian law did not apply.

In 1889 Bennett was joined by Benjamin Fisher, founding the firm of Bennett and Fisher which prospered from the outset, and became one of Australia's foremost stock and station agents.

Bennett was at the forefront of thoroughbred racing in South Australia. At a private meeting held on 2 June 1861, a steering committee was formed consisting of Sir J. H. Fisher, W. H. Formby, W. Filgate, C. B. Fisher, and James Chambers, determined to re-form the old South Australian Jockey Club and draw up rules. At a second meeting held on 1 July 1861, a committee consisting of E. M. Bagot (chairman), W. K. Simms, P. B. Coglin (starter), and Gabriel Bennett was elected to establish facilities and organise the first racing program. They settled on the Thebarton track as their racecourse, and the first programme was held 1–3 January 1862. Bennett had his "Butcher Boy" and "Miss Rowe" in several races, but without success. At the summer meeting 1863, with "Lord of the Isles", ridden by Billy Simpson, he was more fortunate. He succeeded P. B. Coglin as official starter in 1863, holding that position until the Club folded in 1869.

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