Henry Ayers

Sir Henry Ayers GCMG (1 May 1821 – 11 June 1897) was the Premier of South Australia five times between 1863 and 1873.

Ayers was born at Portsea, Hampshire, England. He moved to Australia in 1840 with his wife, Elizabeth. He worked in the mining industry. His copper mine became very important to the economy of South Australia. Ayers later went into politics. He was elected to the South Australian parliament on 9 March 1857. He stayed a member for more than 36 years. Ayers first became premier on 15 July 1863.

Ernest Giles, an explorer, named Ayers Rock after him in 1872. In the same year,  Ayers was knighted KCMG and raised to GCMG in 1894. He died in Adelaide on 11 June 1897.

 References 

Other website
SA Parliament - Ayers 
Daguerreotype of Sir Henry Ayers, c.1848, State Library of South Australia

Category:1821 births
Category:1897 deaths
Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
Category:People from Portsmouth
Category:Premiers of South Australia