Theodore Bruce

Theodore Bruce (5 April 1847 – 2 July 1911) was an auctioneer, politician and Mayor of Adelaide 1904-1907.

Theodore Bruce was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, a son of William Bruce, a large woollens manufacturer. A grandfather, Edward Baines, was the proprietor of the Leeds Mercury and member of the House of Commons for Leeds.

He came to Australia with his parents in 1852, and shortly after his arrival commenced his elementary education at J. L. Young's Adelaide Educational Institution, followed by St. Peter's College. His first employment was at a station in the far north of the South Australia, then in 1862 joined Randolph Isham Stow in the law firm of Stow & Bruce, followed around 1872 by the National Bank of Adelaide, which required him to travel around the north of the State, during which time he became an expert horseman.

In 1878 or 1880 he started an auctioneering business with old school-friend George S. Aldridge (1847–1911), later chairman of the . They founded a brewery in Broken Hill, which Bruce managed, then in 1888 sold to the South Australian Brewing and Wine and Spirit Company. The partnership was dissolved in 1889, and Bruce continued as auctioneer on his own, with offices in the Old Exchange, Pirie street. He became a member of the Adelaide Stock Exchange. The business continues under his name to this day.

Around 1895 he was elected councillor by the Goodwood Ward for the Unley Council, and served for two years, then was elected mayor in 1898 and 1899. He also served from 1894 as councillor in the Adelaide Corporation for the Hindmarsh Ward, and on the death of the Hon. Samuel Tomkinson was elected alderman, and held the office of mayor of Adelaide in 1904–1906. His proudest achievement was the agreement thrashed out with Premier Thomas Price for establishment of Adelaide's tramways network. Bruce was accorded the honour of turning the first sod, and was the City Council's first representative on the Municipal Tramways Trust.

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