Notable South Australians/Hiram Mildred, J.P.
Hiram Mildred, J.P.,
BORN at Portsea, England; eldest son of the Hon. Henry Mildred, M.L.C., and one of the four remaining old colonists who arrived in South Australia with Colonel Light in the surveying brig "Rapid," August 18th, 1836. After visiting Sydney he spent his early years in pastoral and agricultural pursuits. In 1844-5-6 he was in the Customs and agency business at Port Adelaide with the late W. R. S. Cooke, and joined in the exodus to the Victorian gold diggings in February 1862. Returning to Adelaide at the end of the same year, he spent some time in farming; but finding this unprofitable he settled at Goolwa in the milling and general agency business. In 1858 he received an appointment under the S. A. Government as Sub-Collector of Customs at Port Augusta, to which were afterwards added those of Harbour Master, Superintendent Mercantile Marine, Clerk of Local Court, Chairman of Destitute Board, District Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, Secretary, Cashier, and Accountant of the North District Road Board, and several other subsidiary offices. These he resigned in 1877, after close upon twenty years' service, and now resides in North Adelaide. As one of the surviving quintette of the party who pitched the first tent where Adelaide now stands, and who has "borne the heat and burden of the day," Mr. Mildred deserves more than a passing notice. Few officials in the S. A. Civil Service have held at one time and conducted satisfactorily so many appointments as he. In addition to this, he, with his late wife (daughter of the Rev. Henry Cheetham), was instrumental in raising the first established church and Sunday-school in Port Augusta. In 1881 Mr. Mildred contested an aldermanship for the city, but was beaten by a small majority. In 1882-3-4 he was elected for two years as councillor for Robe Ward. Standing again for alderman, he was defeated a second time. At an advanced age, he possesses more activity than many younger men, and his physique, after an almost continuous residence of forty-nine years, is indicative of the healthy character of our South Australian climate.