Skip to main content
  1. The Dictionary of Sydney
  2. Roles
  3. Occupation
  4. Philanthropist

Philanthropist

Occupation - Philanthropist
Alcorso, Claudio
Allen, George
Allen, George Wigram
Antico, Tristan
Archibald, JF
Ardill, George Edward (1847-1945)
Babbage, Eden Herschel
Barker, Jane
Barker, Thomas
Barrett, Harrie (Todds)
Belgiorno-Nettis, Franco
Berg, Charles
Berry, Alexander
Buckland, Thomas
Burns, James
Byers, Isabel
Catts, Norman
Challis, John Henry
Chisholm, Caroline
Cohen, Francis Lyon
Cooper, Daniel jnr
Coppin, George Selth
Cunningham, Syd 'Doc'
Dalwood, AE
Dangar, Henry Carey
Dark, Mick
Dixson, Emma Elizabeth
Dixson, Hugh 1841-1926
Du Faur, Frederick Eccleston
Dusseldorp, Dick
Ervin, Samuel Henry
Fairfax, Marguerite
Faithfull-Anderson, Clarice
Faithfull-Anderson, Frances Lillian
Glanville, Edith May
Goodlet, John Hay
Gullett, Lucy Edith
Hallstrom, Edward John Lees
Harwood, Marian Fleming
Hinton, Howard
Hooker, Leslie Joseph
Kaldor, John
Kanematsu, Fusajiro
Levey, Solomon
Macleay, Frances (Fanny)
Martin, Isabella
McCaughey, Samuel
Mei Quong Tart
Moore, Thomas
Moore, William
Nelson, Randall 'Animal'
Olley, Margaret
Paling, William Henry
Potter, Ian
Power, John Joseph Wardell
Raphael, Joseph George
Rofe, Thomas
Seaborn, Rodney
Stewart, Frederick
Vickery, Ebenezer
Walker, Eadith
Walker, Thomas

Browse

  • Browse
    • Artefacts
    • Buildings
    • Events
    • Natural Features
    • Organisations
    • People
    • Places
    • Structures
    • Entries
    • Multimedia
    • Subjects
    • Roles
    • Contributors

Footer

  • Home
  • About
  • Copyright
  • Contact

Footer Secondary

  • Contribute
  • Donate

Philanthropist

Alcorso, Claudio

Businessman and philanthropist.

full record »

Allen, George

full record »

First solicitor trained entirely in Australia and founder of one of Sydney's oldest law firms. He served as Mayor of Sydney in 1845.

Allen, George Wigram

full record »

Solicitor and politician who became Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

Antico, Tristan

Founder of Pioneer Concrete, racehorse owner and breeder, and patron of the arts.

full record »

Archibald, JF

Founding editor of The Bulletin and patron of the arts.

full record »

Ardill, George Edward (1847-1945)

full record »

Evangelist and social worker who was the founder of refuges for women and children including the Sydney Rescue Work Society. His later work as a member of the Aboriginal Protection Board led directly to some of the most tragic and damaging results of colonialism for Aboriginal people.

Babbage, Eden Herschel

Banker who helped preserve Roseville Chase foreshore.

full record »

Barker, Jane

full record »

Founder of St Catherine's School, Waverley.

Barker, Thomas

full record »

Flour miller and businessman with extensive landholdings who was equally energetic in public affairs and philanthropy.

Barrett, Harrie (Todds)

Businesswoman and philanthropist who established heavy equipment industries in the suburbs of Mascot, Randwick and Botany and donated to animal and social welfare charities as well as hospitals and medical research.

full record »

Belgiorno-Nettis, Franco

Founder of construction company Transfield and patron of the arts.

full record »

Berg, Charles

Accountant and music administrator who fostered chamber music and opera in Sydney.

full record »

Berry, Alexander

full record »

Leading merchant and landowner in nineteenth-century Sydney.

Buckland, Thomas

Businessman and philanthropist who endowed children's homes and hospitals in Sydney and Blue Mountains.

full record »

Burns, James

Shipowner, businessman and philanthropist who endowed Burnside Children's Homes.

full record »

Byers, Isabel

Naremburn resident who took in Henry Lawson in 1906-07.

full record »

Catts, Norman

Advertising executive who later worked for chemical companies and endowed a trust fund for the education of Aboriginal children.

full record »

Challis, John Henry

Merchant and philanthropist who made his fortune selling wool and other merchandise. He was a prominent property owner, with holdings at Potts Point, and also ran cattle and sheep stations at his properties in southern New South Wales. He made generous donations to the University of Sydney allowing the establishment of the Challis professorships. After his death his estate was valued for probate at 60,000 pounds in England and 101,000 pounds in New South Wales. His bequest to the University of Sydney completely transformed the institution, and was estimated to be 250,000 pounds or $32 million in 2016.

full record »

Chisholm, Caroline

full record »

Philanthropist who founded the Female Immigrants' Home and worked to foster free settlement and women's emigration to New South Wales.

Cohen, Francis Lyon

full record »

Musician and army chaplain who was chief minister of Sydney's Great Synagogue for nearly thirty years, and active in all facets of Jewish life.

Cooper, Daniel jnr

Merchant and philanthropist who inherited the estate of his uncle Daniel Cooper in 1853 and further expanded his business and land holdings across the state.

full record »

Coppin, George Selth

Comic actor and theatre manager who promoted Australian theatre and tours of celebrity actors.

full record »

Cunningham, Syd 'Doc'

Syd 'Doc' Cunningham was an Aboriginal man of the Yuin people who was known to many as Black Santa. He was a welfare worker with the Western Districts Foundation for Aboriginal Affairs in St Marys and served with the Australian armed forces in World War II. In the 1960s he began making trips to remote areas of western New South Wales with presents for Aboriginal children. After his retirement in 1992, Cunningham continued to raise funds for the Christmas presents he would take to Aboriginal children, sitting outside a supermarket on King Street, Newtown with a table, a chair and a bucket. He was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 1989. 

After his death in 1999, a plaque in his honour was erected on the spot on King Street where he had sat.

full record »

Dalwood, AE

Estate agent who donated his home to the Food for Babies Fund, establishing Dalwood Home at Seaforth.

full record »

Dangar, Henry Carey

Politician and philanthropist who was a keen member of the Australian Jockey Club and benefactor of St Paul's College, University of Sydney.

full record »

Dark, Mick

full record »

Conservationist and philanthropist who donated his family home to the nation as a writer's retreat.

Dixson, Emma Elizabeth

Philanthropist, devout Baptist and wife of one of Sydney's most prominent businessmen.

full record »

Dixson, Hugh 1841-1926

Businessman and philanthropist who built his father's tobacco business into an Australia-wide company later merged with others to become British-Australian Tobacco Ltd. His philanthropic work supported many church, hospital and other charities.

full record »

Du Faur, Frederick Eccleston

full record »

Founder and supporter of scientific and artistic organisations in Sydney, who helped establish Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and was a landowner at Mount Wilson. He worked as a chief draftsman at the Department of Lands, and often explored the Bliue Mountains, camping near Govetts Creek and the Grose Rover.

Dusseldorp, Dick

Dutch-born engineer who established Civil and Civic, an engineering firm that worked on the Sydney Opera House and later became Lend Lease Corporation. He later founded the Dusseldorp Skills Forum, a philanthropic organisation that fosters skills in young people.

full record »

Ervin, Samuel Henry

Woolbroker and cultural benefactor. The National Trust's SH Ervin Gallery on Observatory Hill was named in his honour.

full record »

Fairfax, Marguerite

Philanthropist who worked to provide child care services for working mothers.

full record »

Faithfull-Anderson, Clarice

Philanthropist who inherited extensive property from her parents.

full record »

Faithfull-Anderson, Frances Lillian

Member of one of the oldest families in the state who changed her name by deed poll in 1932, twenty years after her husband's death, to reflect her origins.

full record »

Glanville, Edith May

full record »

A strong and opinionated woman, Edith was a highly talented activist, feminist and lecturer who travelled extensively in the Middle East, was involved in the formation of the League of Nations and fought throughout her life for the poor and oppressed.

Goodlet, John Hay

Timber merchant and philanthropist who established a sawmill and wharf in Erskine Street, a brickworks at Granville and a pottery at Surry Hills.

full record »

Gullett, Lucy Edith

Medical practioner and philanthropist who drove the campaign to establish a hospital run for and by women.

full record »

Hallstrom, Edward John Lees

full record »

Manufacturer and philanthropist who revolutionised food storage, particularly in the outback, with his kerosene powered refrigerator. This was diversified to Silent Knight upright models which ran on gas or electricity.

Harwood, Marian Fleming

full record »

Linguist, pacifist and philanthropist who represented the peace societies of Australia at several overseas conferences prior to World War I before returning to become an anti-war campaigner.

Hinton, Howard

Company director, art collector and patron who was a generous benefactor to the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

full record »

Hooker, Leslie Joseph

Businessman of Chinese heritage who founded his real estate business in 1928 with his first office in Maroubra.

full record »

Kaldor, John

Textile designer and importer who became a major collector, patron and supporter of contemporary art and who has commissioned and shared public art projects since 1969.

full record »

Kanematsu, Fusajiro

Japanese entrepreneur who first visited Sydney in 1887. On his return to Japan he opened a trading house, Kanematsu, coming back to Sydney in 1890 with Toranosuke Kitamura to open an Australian office, and shipping the first direct consignment of wool from Australia to Japan. He visited Sydney several times, but lived in Japan. 

In 1933 the company donated funds for the establishment of the Kanematsu Memorial Institute of Pathology at Sydney Hospital in memory of him and his wife Sen Katematsu, in recognition of the medical care and support given to early Japanese migrants by the Australian community. The Institute closed in the early 1980s, but the Kanematsu Fund continues to donate an annual research scholarship to the Australian Royal Pathology Association.

 

full record »

Levey, Solomon

Convict who became a successful businessman after his pardon, and one of the richest men in the colony.

full record »

Macleay, Frances (Fanny)

Natural history artist who collected specimens for her father's and brother's scientific pursuits. She was an accomplished artist of fruit and flowers who had exhibited in London before emigrating.

full record »

Martin, Isabella

Wealthy woman and philanthropist who was the daughter of a wealthy wine merchant and wife of James Martin, with whom she had 15 children. She was one of the chief organisers of the Queen's Jubilee Fund and also a member of the Board of Control of the School of Industry for Orphan Girls. She became unhappy in her marriage and the conditions of their family home in Potts Point. She developed a distaste for the toxic smells emanating from Rushcutters Bay that often swept up to their property, and after two of her children and her sister died, she left her husband. She lived off her own substantial wealth leasing Greycliffe and then Woollahra House, before moving to Clairvaux, where she died.

full record »

McCaughey, Samuel

Grazier who expanded the family merino stud, Coree, at Jerilderie and was a generous supporter of several Sydney charities.

full record »

Mei Quong Tart

full record »

Chinese immigrant who made his fortune on the Victorian goldfields and settled in Sydney, where he became a well-known and respected businessman.

Moore, Thomas

Sailor, boatbuilder, magistrate and philanthropist who endowed Moore College. He was also labelled 'the King of Liverpool' as his 1809 land grant in Moorebank made him the first citizen of Liverpool. He also funded and oversaw the construction of many of the area's public buildings and he became the magistrate of the Georges River district in 1810 - a position he held until his death.

full record »

Moore, William

Early practitioner of homeopathy in New South Wales, who acquired large landholdings in northern Sydney, and left money endowing the Glebe Homeopathic Hospital.

full record »

Nelson, Randall 'Animal'

Randall 'Animal' Nelson was one of the founders of the Kings Cross Bikers Social and Welfare Club in 1989. A resident of Kings Cross since the 1950s, he was he was responsible for the bikies Toy Ride each Christmas to distribute toys for needy children and known to many as the Kings Cross Santa. He was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2004 for his service to the Kings Cross community.  

full record »

Olley, Margaret

Artist and philanthropist best known for her interior and still life painting.

full record »

Paling, William Henry

Musician and teacher who became a businessman, selling instruments, publishing music and promoting concerts.

full record »

Potter, Ian

Stockbroker and philanthropist who grew up in Sydney's southern suburbs.

full record »

Power, John Joseph Wardell

Expatriate doctor and artist who left his estate to the University of Sydney for the study and acquisition of contemporary art. His bequest became the basis of Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Power Institute of Fine Arts at the University of Sydney.

full record »

Raphael, Joseph George

Merchant, successful businessman and philanthropist who somewhat harshly judged most recipient's plight as their own fault.

full record »

Rofe, Thomas

Lawyer, businessman and benefactor who was convicted of conspiracy and struck off the roll of solicitors, and later turned to religion and philanthropy to rehabilitate his character.

full record »

Seaborn, Rodney

A psychiatrist and patron of Australian theatre, he formed a foundation that purchased the Stables Theatre. A significant performing arts archive in the foundation's name is based at NIDA.

full record »

Stewart, Frederick

Land developer at Chullora, bus company owner and federal politician who donated land at Dundas for the establishment of the Lottie Stewart hospital, named for his first wife.

full record »

Vickery, Ebenezer

Ironmonger, merchant and philanthropist whose success in the coal and insurance businesses and large real estate portfolio enabled his generous support of the Methodist church.

full record »

Walker, Eadith

full record »

Philanthropist and benefactor.

Walker, Thomas

full record »

Scottish-born banker and businessman who used his money to support many Sydney charities.