William Giles (colonial manager)

William Giles (27 December 1791 – 11 May 1862) was the third colonial manager of the South Australian Company, and a South Australian politician, who was prominent in the founding of the colony of South Australia.

Giles was born in Great Staughton, Huntingdonshire, England, and was educated at Kimbolton School.

An apparently close friend of one of the founders of the South Australian Company, George Fife Angas, Giles travelled to South Australia on the ship Hartley in 1837 accompanied by his new (and pregnant) wife, Emily Elizabeth (née McGeorge) (c. 1814 – 5 August 1876) and their 1-year-old daughter Emily jnr.

The Hartley was a three-masted vessel measuring 27.13 x 7.19 x 5.61 metres built at Sunderland in England in 1836. Her owner and captain was Thomas Fewson. Emily gave birth to her second child, George Hartley Giles during the voyage. William's new family (Emily, Emily jnr and George) was also accompanied by William's nine children from his earlier marriage to Sarah (née Roper). On 16 October 1837 the Hartley arrived at Kingscote, Kangaroo Island where the Company's first settlement was founded. Once in South Australia, William and Emily had a further ten children.

William married twice: to Sarah Roper (died 1833) on 1 November 1813, and to Emily McGeorge (c.1814 – 5 August 1876) on 12 January 1835. In total he had 21 children and 78 grandchildren.

Shortly after arrival on Kangaroo Island, Giles, T. H. Beare, and Henry Mildred imported a batch of Merino ewes from Van Diemens Land to Kangaroo Island, some of the first brought into the colony, though stock losses on the unusually long trip aboard the Cygnet were considerable.

Giles was appointed Stipendiary Magistrate by Governor Hindmarsh in 1838 then appointed as the third colonial manager of the South Australian Company in January 1841, succeeding David McLaren. He continued as manager until 1861, when he retired.

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