Sir Edwin Thomas Smith was born on the 6th of April 1830 in Walsall, Staffordshire, England. In 1853 Mr Smith migrated to Adelaide on the California, upon arriving in Adelaide Mr Smith worked as a importer, and in 1857 he married Florence Stock. After several years working as an importer he decided to leave the business and in 1860 Mr Smith went into partnership with Edward Logue at Logues Kent Town Brewery, and after Mr Logues death in 1862 Mr Smith took over the running of the brewery.

Logues Brewery popularity grew year upon year and by the 1870’s the Kent Town site was starting to become cramped and small, Edwin started looking for a site to construct a new brewery. A new site was found just down the street at the corner of Rundle Street and Dequetteville Terrace, Kent Town, and plans for the new brewery were drawn up, no expense was spared, this new brewery would be the most advanced in the colony. By 1876 the new brewery was completed at a cost of £17,000, with the new brewery to be known as the Kent Town Brewery.

Edwin was also very proactive in local government, becoming the mayor of Kensington and Norwood in 1867, where he made some major improvements to the area by improving roads, building bridges and getting water and gas piped to the area. The Norwood football club was also a passion of Mr Smith, and he donated £2,000 to the Norwood football club to purchase the Norwood oval.

After 6 years of being mayor of Kensington and Norwood, Mr Smith was elected as mayor of Adelaide in 1879, again he started to modernize the city, by putting in horse drawn trams, streets asphalted, and the city green spaces improved including a large bronze statue of Queen Victoria in Victoria Square. The Adelaide Jubilee was conducted during his mayorship and he was largely credited to its success. Along with Edwins passion for football he served as the President of the South Australian Cricket Association for 30 years, and during his tenure great improvements were undertaken to Adelaide Oval, His name still stands on the north western grandstand at the oval today. Mr Edwin Thomas Smith was Knighted in 1888 for his services to South Australia.

The Kent Town brewery would become one of the largest breweries in South Australia and taking up too much of Edwin’s time, so he sold the brewery to his brother in law Mr Robert Stock in 1888. Mr Stock’s ownership was short lived as the brewery amalgamated with Mr W K Simm’s West End Brewery to form the South Australian Brewing, Malting & Wine & Spirit Company Ltd.

Sir Edwin Smith died in his home in 1919, he had left £18,000 in his will for local charities and hospitals, he was one of the states largest philanthropists and is responsible for shaping Adelaide, with many of his works still visible today.

Kent Town Brewery

Brewery ID : 5.001.049

Established : 1876

Corner Rundle Street & Dequetteville Terrace,
Kent Town

Closed : 1888

Brewery