# Angas Parsons

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{{short description|Australian politician and judge}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
 | honorific_prefix = [The Honourable](/source/The_Honourable)
 | name             = Sir H. Angas Parsons
 | honorific_suffix = [KBE](/source/Knight_Commander_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire) [KC](/source/King's_Counsel)
 | image            = Herbert Parsons-1920-B4060.jpg
 | alt              = 
 | caption          = Sir Angas Parsons, 1920
| office             = [9th Vice-Chancellor](/source/List_of_University_of_Adelaide_people) of the [University of Adelaide](/source/University_of_Adelaide)
| term_start         = 1942
| term_end           = 1945<br><small>(term nominally expired 1944)</small>
| chancellor         = [Sir William Mitchell](/source/William_Mitchell_(philosopher))
| predecessor        = Sir William Mitchell
| successor          = [John McKellar Stewart](/source/John_McKellar_Stewart)
| constituency_MP1 = [Murray](/source/Electoral_district_of_Murray_(South_Australia))
 | parliament1      = South Australian
 | term_start1      = 1918
 | term_end1        = 1921
 | predecessor1     = <!--Can be repeated up to 16 times by adding a number-->
 | successor1       = 
 | constituency_MP2 = [Torrens](/source/Electoral_district_of_Torrens)
 | parliament2      = South Australian
 | term_start2      = 1912
 | term_end2        = 1915
 | predecessor2     = <!--Can be repeated up to 16 times by adding a number-->
 | successor2       = ''Electorate abolished''
 | birth_name       = Herbert Angas Parsons
 | birth_date       = {{Birth date|1872|5|23|df=y}}
 | birth_place      = [North Adelaide](/source/North_Adelaide)
 | death_date       = {{Death date and age|1945|11|2|1872|5|23|df=y}}
 | death_place      = 
 | resting_place    = [North Road Cemetery](/source/North_Road_Cemetery)
 | spouse           = [Mary Elsie Bonython](/source/John_Langdon_Bonython)
 | relations        = 
 | children         = 
 | father           = [John Langdon Parsons](/source/John_Langdon_Parsons)
 | mother           = Rose Parsons
 | alma_mater       = [University of Adelaide](/source/University_of_Adelaide)
 | party            = [Liberal Union](/source/Liberal_Union_(South_Australia))
 | awards           = {{plainlist|
*[Kt](/source/Knight_Bachelor) 1936
*[KBE](/source/Knight_Commander_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire) in 1945
}}
}}
'''Sir Herbert Angas Parsons''', [KBE](/source/Knight_Commander_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire), [KC](/source/King's_Counsel) (23 May 1872 &ndash; 2 November 1945), generally known as Sir Angas Parsons, was a [Cornish Australian](/source/Cornish_Australian) lawyer, politician and judge.

==Early life and education==
Parsons was born in [North Adelaide](/source/North_Adelaide) on 23 May 1872, the only son of Cornish born minister and politician [John Langdon Parsons](/source/John_Langdon_Parsons) (1837–1903) and his first wife Rose.<ref name=adbJLP>{{Australian Dictionary of Biography |first=Elizabeth |last=Kwan |id2=parsons-john-langdon-7966 |title=Parsons, John Langdon (1837&ndash;1903) |volume=11 |year=1988 |pages=148–150 |access-date=2022-12-07}}</ref>

He was educated at [Prince Alfred College](/source/Prince_Alfred_College) and [Roseworthy Agricultural College](/source/Roseworthy_College) before spending three years following "pastoral and financial pursuits". He then studied law at the [University of Adelaide](/source/University_of_Adelaide), serving his articles with [George Ash](/source/George_Ash_(Australian_politician))<ref name=general>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166436566 |title=General News |newspaper=[The Southern Cross](/source/The_Southern_Cross_(South_Australia)) |date=7 January 1898 |access-date=11 June 2018 |page=11 |via=Trove}}</ref> and graduating in March 1897, aged 24.

==Career==
He was admitted to the Bar later in 1897.<ref name=adbHAP>{{Australian Dictionary of Biography |first=Elizabeth |last=Kwan |id2=parsons-sir-herbert-angas-8501 |title=Parsons, Sir Herbert Angas (1872 - 1945) |volume=11 |year=1988 |pages=148–150 |access-date=2022-12-07}}</ref> He joined with [Patrick McMahon Glynn](/source/Patrick_McMahon_Glynn), KC. in partnership in 1898;<ref name=general/> they were joined in October 1908 by [George McEwin](/source/George_McEwin_(lawyer)) and subsequently by (later Sir) [Mellis Napier](/source/Mellis_Napier).

In 1912 he stood for parliament and was elected member of the [South Australian House of Assembly](/source/South_Australian_House_of_Assembly) for [Torrens](/source/Electoral_district_of_Torrens) (1912–1915), and subsequently member for [Murray](/source/Electoral_district_of_Murray_(South_Australia)).<ref name="SA parl">{{Cite SA-parl |pid=3871 |name=Hon Sir Herbert (Sir Angas) Angas Parsons KBE KC |former=yes |access-date=7 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/AboutParliament/From1836/Documents/StatisticalRecordoftheLegislature1836to20093.pdf |title=Statistical Record of the Legislature 1836-2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110312023915/http://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/AboutParliament/From1836/Documents/StatisticalRecordoftheLegislature1836to20093.pdf |archive-date=12 March 2011 |publisher=Parliament of South Australia |pages=69 & 71}}</ref> It was around June of this year that he became universally referred to as "Angas Parsons".
He was briefly [Attorney-General of South Australia](/source/Attorney-General_of_South_Australia) and minister of education in 1915. Parsons was appointed [King's Counsel](/source/King's_Counsel) in 1916, a judge of the Supreme Court in 1921, senior puisne judge in 1927, and acting chief justice in 1935. On occasions, Parsons acted as Lieutenant-[Governor of South Australia](/source/Governor_of_South_Australia) and, after his father's death, in 1904 he became consul for Japan.<ref name=adbHAP/>

==Service and recognition==
Like his father-in-law, he became president of the Cornish Association of South Australia. He was also warden of the University of Adelaide's senate, and vice-chancellor from 1942 to 1944.

He was [knighted](/source/Knight_Bachelor) in 1936,<ref>{{Cite It's an Honour |ausawardid=1083610 |date=1 January 1936 |recipient=Judge Herbert Angas Parsons |award=Knight Bachelor |postnominal= |citation=Puisne Judge in South Australia |access-date=2022-12-07 }}</ref> and appointed [Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire](/source/Knight_Commander_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire) (KBE) in 1945.<ref>{{Cite It's an Honour |ausawardid=1082153 |date=14 June 1945 |recipient=Sir Herbert Angas Parsons |award=Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire |postnominal=KBE |citation=Senior Puisne Judge |access-date=2022-12-07 }}</ref> He retired in 1945 and, having "spent many hours at the [Adelaide Club](/source/Adelaide_Club), preferring its convivial atmosphere to his wife's Methodism".<ref name=adbHAP/>

==Personal life==
On 18 April 1900, Parsons married [Mary Elsie Bonython](/source/John_Langdon_Bonython) (1874–1956), eldest surviving child of Sir [John Langdon Bonython](/source/John_Langdon_Bonython) and his wife Mary Louisa Fredericka née Balthasar.<ref name=adbJLB>{{Australian Dictionary of Biography |first=W. B. |last=Pitcher |id2=bonython-sir-john-langdon-5286 |title=Bonython, Sir John Langdon (1848-1939) |volume=7 |year=1979 |pages=339–341 |access-date=2022-12-07}}</ref> They had two sons.

Mary Elsie Parsons served with distinction as [Mayoress](/source/List_of_mayors_and_lord_mayors_of_Adelaide) at official functions for her widowed brother Sir [John Lavington Bonython](/source/John_Lavington_Bonython) in 1911 and 1912.

Parsons died of [cirrhosis](/source/cirrhosis) on 2 November 1945. Survived by Lady Parsons and their two sons Philip Brendon Angas Parsons (1905– ) and Geoffrey Bonython Parsons (1908– ), he was buried with his parents in [North Road Cemetery](/source/North_Road_Cemetery).<ref name=adbHAP/>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Herbert Parsons-1887-B7723 257.jpg|Parsons dressed as the King of Spades for the Adelaide Mayoral Children's Fancy Dress Ball, 1887
File:Elsie Bonython 13yrs 1887-B7723 41.jpg|Elsie dressed as a Norwegian fishgirl, 1887
File:Elsie Bonython Bridesmaids-18 April 1900-B30390.jpg|Elsie's bridesmaids - 18 April 1900; left to right: Elsie Parsons (half sister of bridegroom); Ada & Edith Bonython (sisters of the bride); Winifred Bonython (cousin of the bride)
File:Mr.andMrs.AngasParsons-1912-PRG280 1 11 530.jpg|Herbert, Elsie, & friend, Garden party at Government House, 1912
File:Herbert Parsons et al-1917-PRG280 1 9 181.jpg|1917 - Members of an Observation School Committee; Angas Parsons sitting front row, second from left.
File:Herbert Parsons-1920-B4060.jpg|1920
File:Herbert Parsons-1921-B16421.jpg|1921
File:Lady Weigall-1921-PRG280 1 23 54.jpg|1921 - Lady Weigall, wife of the Governor of South Australia, accompanied by her daughter Priscilla greeting Sir George Murray, Lieutenant Governor and Justice Angas Parsons at a garden party held in the grounds of Government House, Adelaide.
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
&nbsp;
{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[Hermann Homburg](/source/Hermann_Homburg)}}
{{s-ttl|title=[Attorney-General of South Australia](/source/Attorney-General_of_South_Australia)|years=1915}}
{{s-aft|after=[John Vaughan](/source/John_Vaughan_(Australian_politician))}}
{{s-par|au-sa}}
{{s-bef | before=[George Dankel](/source/George_Dankel)<br>[Thomas Ryan](/source/Thomas_Ryan_(1870%E2%80%931943)) }}
{{s-ttl | title=Member for [Torrens](/source/Electoral_district_of_Torrens) |  years=1912–1915}}
{{s-aft | after =Electorate abolished}}
{{s-bef | before=[George Dunn](/source/George_Dunn_(Australian_politician))<br>[Maurice William Parish](/source/Maurice_William_Parish) }}
{{s-ttl | title=Member for [Murray](/source/Electoral_district_of_Murray_(South_Australia)) |  years=1918–1921}}
{{s-aft | after =[John Francis Godfree](/source/John_Francis_Godfree)<br>[John Beavis Randell](/source/John_Beavis_Randell)}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parsons, Herbert Angas}}
Category:1872 births
Category:1945 deaths
Category:Australian Knights Bachelor
Category:Australian Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Attorneys-general of South Australia
Category:Members of the South Australian House of Assembly
Category:Judges of the Supreme Court of South Australia
Category:20th-century Australian judges
Category:Australian King's Counsel
Category:Lawyers from Adelaide
Category:Vice-chancellors of the University of Adelaide
Category:Australian people of Cornish descent
Category:Bonython family
Category:People educated at Prince Alfred College
Category:Adelaide Law School alumni
Category:Adelaide Club
Category:Deaths from cirrhosis
Category:Burials at North Road Cemetery

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Angas Parsons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angas_Parsons) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angas_Parsons?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.