Essington Lewis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Essington Lewis
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Essington Lewis (around 1900)
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| Born | 13 January 1881 |
| Died | 2 October 1961 (aged 80) Tallarook, Victoria, Australia
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| Nationality | Australian |
| Alma mater | South Australian School of Mines |
| Occupation | Mining engineer |
| Years active | Employee 1904 – 26 managing director 1926–50 Chairman 1950–61 |
| Employer | Broken Hill Proprietary Company Ltd (BHP) |
| Spouse(s) |
Gladys Rosalind Cowan
(m. 1910) |
| Children | 5 |
| Parent(s) | John Lewis Martha Brook |
| Relatives | Tom Lewis (nephew) Sandy Lewis (nephew) James Cowan (father-in-law) Darcy Rivers Warren Cowan (brother-in-law) |
Essington Lewis, a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (born 13 January 1881 – died 2 October 1961), was a very important Australian business leader. He was in charge of the Department of Munitions during World War II. This department made sure Australia had enough weapons and supplies for the war.
Biography
Early Life and Education
Essington Lewis was born in Burra, South Australia on 13 January 1881. His father, John Lewis, was a well-known farmer and politician. Essington was named after Port Essington, a place where his father owned land. He went to school at St. Peter's College, Adelaide. Later, he studied at the South Australian School of Mines. There he learned to be a mining engineer.
Career at BHP
In 1904, Essington Lewis started working for the Broken Hill Proprietary Company Ltd (BHP). This was a huge mining and steel company. He worked his way up through the company. In 1926, he became the managing director. This meant he was in charge of running the whole company. He became chairman in 1950 and stayed in that role until he died in 1961.
During the 1930s, Essington Lewis traveled to countries like Germany and Japan. He realized that these countries could become a threat to Australia. Because of this, he helped set up the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation. This company built airplanes in Australia. He also helped create many factories to make weapons. This made Australia much more ready for war when World War II began in 1939.
During World War II, he also worked for the government. He was the Director-General of the Department of Munitions. This role was very important for Australia's war effort. After the war, in 1948, he supported starting the car industry in Australia. He was even able to buy the very first Holden 48/215 car made for sale. For his important work during the war, he received a special award called the Order of the Companions of Honour in 1943.
Family Life
In 1910, Essington Lewis married Gladys Rosalind Cowan. She also received an award, the OBE. They had five children together. Their sons were James Essington Lewis and Robert Brook Lewis. Their daughters were Helen Clarke, Mary Munckton, and Jane Nevile. Sadly, two other children, David and Janet, died when they were babies. The family lived in Malvern, Victoria. They also had a farm called "Landscape" near Tallarook in central Victoria.
Death and Legacy
Essington Lewis died on 2 October 1961, at the age of 80. He passed away while riding his horse at his farm, "Landscape." Newspapers reported that he had a heart attack. Many people attended his funeral in Toorak.
Essington Lewis's life has been written about in several books. These include The Steel-Master: a life of Essington Lewis by Geoffrey Blainey. There is also a musical play about him called I am Work. Each year, a special talk called the Essington Lewis Memorial Lecture is given in South Australia. One of the main streets in Whyalla, Essington Lewis Avenue, is named after him.
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