# Thomas Playfair > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Thomas_Playfair > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Thomas_Playfair.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Playfair > Source revision: 1354934508 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) For the New South Wales MLC, 1927–1966, see [Thomas Alfred John Playfair](/source/Thomas_Alfred_John_Playfair). **John Thomas Playfair** (1832 – 15 November 1893) was an English-born Australian butcher, ship's providore, politician and benefactor.[1] ## Early life John Thomas Playfair, known as Thomas Playfair, the eldest son of tailor Thomas Playfair and Mary Anne, née Arnold, was baptised on 12 February 1832 in [Essex](/source/Essex), England. He went to sea at the age of twelve, becoming a captain's steward in the [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy). In 1859 he settled in [Sydney](/source/Sydney), entering into a partnership with wholesale butcher E. J. Baily, also operating a separate business as a shipping butcher at [103 George Street, The Rocks](/source/103_George_Street,_The_Rocks). On 7 November 1860 he married Ellen Matheson, with whom he had three sons. After her death in 1866, he married her sister, Georgina Hope, on 26 February 1867; they had a daughter and two sons.[1][2][3] ## Career Following the death of E. J. Baily, Playfair continued the business partnership with his widow. The ship's providore venture grew into a prosperous enterprise.[1] Playfair was a [Sydney City Councillor](/source/City_of_Sydney), representing Gipps Ward continuously from 1875 to 1893. His achievements during his time in the Council include the widening of George Street North and the erection of new cattle sale-yards at [Homebush](/source/Homebush,_New_South_Wales).[3] Serving as Mayor of Sydney in 1885, he pledged to "improve the homes of the poor, and clear out the dark places of the city".[4] In 1889 he was elected to the [New South Wales Legislative Assembly](/source/New_South_Wales_Legislative_Assembly) as a [Free Trade](/source/Free_Trade_Party) member for [West Sydney](/source/Electoral_district_of_West_Sydney),[5] serving only one term before his defeat in 1891.[6][7] ## Personal life Playfair was a generous benefactor to several charities, including the Sydney Ragged School, the Sisters of St Joseph's Providence and the [Boys' Brigade](/source/The_Boys'_Brigade_Australia).[1] Playfair died at his home in Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross on 15 November 1893, following an attack of rheumatic gout.[8] He was interred in the Church of England section of [Waverley Cemetery](/source/Waverley_Cemetery).[9] His estate, which included approximately thirty properties in the city, [Eastern Suburbs](/source/Eastern_Suburbs_(Sydney)), [North Sydney](/source/North_Sydney,_New_South_Wales) and [Manly](/source/Manly,_New_South_Wales), was divided between his four surviving children, Thomas Arnold, Edmund John Baily, Jessie and Alfred Donald. The butchering business was bequeathed to Edmund.[10] ## Legacy / Memorials Playfair Street and Playfair Stairs, both located in The Rocks, are named after Thomas Playfair.[1] The Playfair Memorial Drinking Fountain was installed at the Flemington sale-yards in May 1896, in recognition of Playfair's efforts to modernise Sydney's water supply. The fountain was moved to [Sydney Olympic Park](/source/Sydney_Olympic_Park) on 1 March 1968.[11] A plaque was placed on the doors of [Holy Trinity Church](/source/Garrison_Church_(Sydney)) in [Millers Point](/source/Millers_Point,_New_South_Wales) in 1960 in his memory.[1] ## References 1. ["New South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages"](https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au). State of New South Wales. Department of Justice. Retrieved 5 July 2016. 1. ["Mr Thomas Playfair, Mayor of Sydney for 1885"](https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article163269211). *[The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser](/source/The_Sydney_Mail_and_New_South_Wales_Advertiser)*. 27 December 1884. p. 1289. Retrieved 7 July 2016. – via Trove. 1. ["His Worship the Mayor of Sydney, Thomas Playfair, J.P."](https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71022039). *[Australian Town and Country Journal](/source/Australian_Town_and_Country_Journal)*. 3 January 1885. p. 19. Retrieved 7 July 2016. – via Trove. 1. 1889. Retrieved 25 July 2020. 1. "Mr (John) Thomas Playfair (1831-1893)". 633. Retrieved 5 May 2019. 1. 1891. Retrieved 25 July 2020. 1. ["Death of Alderman Playfair"](https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13936134). *[The Sydney Morning Herald](/source/The_Sydney_Morning_Herald)*. 16 November 1893. p. 5. Retrieved 7 July 2016. – via Trove. 1. ["Funeral of Alderman Playfair"](https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13907224). *[The Sydney Morning Herald](/source/The_Sydney_Morning_Herald)*. 17 November 1893. p. 5. Retrieved 7 July 2016. – via Trove. 1. ["Alderman Playfair's will."](https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article112931831). *[Evening News](/source/The_Evening_News_(Sydney))*. 18 December 1893. p. 5. Retrieved 7 July 2016. – via Trove. 1. ["Fact sheet – Public art"](http://www.sopa.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/949471/Web_FS_Public_Art_2015.pdf). *Sydney Olympic Park*. Sydney Olympic Park Authority. January 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2016. ## Further reading - Thomas Playfair Pty Ltd [1960]. *The Playfair Story, 1860–1960*. Sydney: Harbour Press. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Thomas Playfair](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Playfair) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Playfair?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.