Samuel Perry
Samuel Perry /ˈsæmjuːl ˈpɛri/ was born around 1865 in Wellington, Shropshire, England, to John and Harriet Perry née Howles. At the age of 10, in 1875, Perry left school to begin a seven-year apprenticeship as an ironworker with the prestigious Coalbrookdale
| Samuel Perry | ||
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| Samuel Perry, founder of Perry Engineering Ltd. | ||
| Born | Samuel Perry 1865 Wellington, Shropshire, England | |
| Died | March 1930 Adelaide, South Australia | |
| Alt text | Samuel Perry | |
| Nationality | British-Australian | |
| Occupation(s) | Ironworker, Engineer, Businessman | |
| Years active | 1888–1930 | |
| Known for | Founder of Perry Engineering Ltd. | |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Jane Rofe (m. 1894) | |
| Children | Vera May Perry | |
Company of Shropshire, completing his training in 1882. After several years working as an ironworker, he gained further experience with a marine engineering company in Hythe, Hampshire.
In June 1888, Perry emigrated to South Australia, arriving aboard the steamer Liguria. Upon settling in the state, he found employment as a blacksmith and wheelwright with T.J. Wilkinson and Son in Gawler. He later worked for W. Durnell and Company in Port Adelaide. In 1890, Perry relocated to Melbourne, where he worked with Braybrook Implement Works in Footscray and later with John Danks and Son Limited, a prominent engineering firm in Melbourne.
In March 1894, Perry returned to Adelaide and married Mary Jane Rofe in Port Adelaide. The couple had one child, a daughter named Vera May Perry, born in 1902. In late 1897, Perry decided to establish his own business in Adelaide. He purchased the Tubal Cain Ironworks on Hindley Street, north of Gray Street, where he opened a shop as a general ironfounder and blacksmith. The early years of the business were tough, with Perry recalling that he employed just "two men and a boy" and took on any job he could find, from fixing a bicycle pump to mending the axle of a hawker’s van. Over time, business improved, and Perry expanded his operations to include blacksmithing, horse-shoeing, and building small carriages and trolleys. Perry's ironworks gained a solid reputation, and one of his significant early contracts involved supplying iron fencing for Prince Alfred College in Adelaide. By this time, Perry had moved to Hughes Street, Mile End, South Australia. Samuel Perry continued to lead his company until his health began to decline in 1929. He passed away in March 1930, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneering figure in South Australia's industrial development.[1]
