David Bews

David Bews (April 1850 – 24 February 1891)^[1] was a newspaper editor, politician in colonial South Australia and Minister of Education.^[2]

Bews was born near Kirkwall, in the Orkney Islands, and went to South Australia with his parents the following year.^[2] In 1853, during the gold rush in Victoria, his family removed to that colony, but only to return one year later. Bews' father then engaged in farming operations near Port Elliot, and afterwards near Adelaide. Bews continued as a farmer till he attained his majority, when he secured a position as clerk with the Kadina & Wallaroo Railway Company.^[2] He subsequently became goods manager; but seven years later (in 1879), when the Government took over the line, he left the service, and entered the ranks of journalism by taking charge of the Wallaroo Times. He was three times mayor of the Wallaroo Corporation, besides which he was a member of the late Yorke's Peninsula Local Road Board, and the School Board of Advice.^[2]

On 16 February 1885 Bews first entered the South Australian House of Assembly as member for Wallaroo, after Henry Allerdale Grainger resigned the previous month.^[3] Bews was re-elected on 19 March 1887, and at the General Election in 1890.^[2] In August of that year he accepted the office of Minister of Education in Thomas Playford II's Government. Bews, who had been appointed one of the South Australian delegates at the Postal Convention, died in Melbourne whilst en route to Sydney on 24 February 1891.^[2]

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