John Langdon Bonython (1905–1992)

Not to be confused with his father John Lavington Bonython, or his grandfather John Langdon Bonython.

John Langdon Bonython AO (13 January 1905 – 1992), was a prominent Adelaide businessman.

Family

Bonython was born into the old Adelaide family Bonython. His grandfather was John Langdon Bonython,^[1] and his father was John Lavington Bonython.^[2] His mother was Blanche Ada Bray, and he had two sisters, two half-brothers (Warren Bonython and Kym Bonython), and one half-sister. He married Minnie Hope Rutherford in 1926 and they had three children.^[3]

Biography

John Langdon Bonython was born on 13 January 1905 in Adelaide, South Australia.^[4][5] He studied at the University of Adelaide, and became a solicitor in 1930.^[4][5] He chaired Advertiser Newspapers Ltd,^[6] and on 18 March 1954, he became the founding chairman of the first board of directors of Santos Limited.^[7]

In 1982 a deep water port facility at Stony Point 20 km north of Whyalla was connected to the Moomba Adelaide Pipeline System, a 659 km pipeline from Moomba in the Cooper Basin; this facility was named Port Bonython in his honour.^[3][7]

Awards

On 9 June 1980 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia, "in recognition of service to media and to industry".^[8]