John Lavington Bonython

Sir John Lavington Bonython
John Lavington Bonython, Mayor of Adelaide, ca. 1913
Born	(1875-09-10)10 September 1875 Adelaide, South Australia
Died	6 November 1960(1960-11-06) (aged 85)
Occupation	Newspaper editor

Sir John Lavington Bonython (10 September 1875 – 6 November 1960) was a prominent public figure in Adelaide, known for his work in journalism, business and politics. In association with his father, he became involved in the management of newspapers including The Advertiser; he also served as editor of The Saturday Express and as a journalist. After The Advertiser was sold in 1929 and converted to a public company, he became a director, and for a time vice-chairman; an association that continued until his death. In 1901 he began a long association with the Adelaide City Council, serving as Mayor of Adelaide (1911–1913) and later as Lord Mayor of Adelaide (1927–1930). He was knighted in 1935.

Born in Adelaide on 10 September 1875, John Lavington Bonython was the eldest son of Sir John Langdon Bonython and his wife Mary Louise Fredericka, née Balthasar. He attended Prince Alfred College in Adelaide, and joined The Advertiser in 1896. During his time with newspapers, he worked on The Advertiser, Chronicle and the Express, serving as the editor of the Saturday Express between 1912 and 1930.

Lavington Bonython became directly involved with the Adelaide City Council when he was elected as a councillor in 1901. He became an alderman in 1907, served as Mayor (1912-1913), and as Lord Mayor (1928-1930). His appointment in 1912 made Bonython the youngest person to serve as Adelaide's Mayor, and during his time with the council he was noted for his focus on Adelaide's heritage. He was knighted in 1935.

Amongst his other activities were a number of positions on company boards, including the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Municipal Tramways Trust, and serving as a director and Vice-Chairman of The Advertiser. In particular, Lavington Bonython was a member of the inaugural board for Minda Inc, remaining with the organisation for 62 years.