Butler Sir Richard Layton KCMG

Fast Facts

Type of person	Individual
Date of birth	"{{{Date approximate}}}" is not recognized as a Boolean (true/false) value. 1885
Place of birth	Yattalunga, South Para, South Australia
Date of arrival	"{{{Date approximate}}}" is not recognized as a Boolean (true/false) value. c. 1887
Principal occupation	Politician
Date of death	"{{{Date approximate}}}" is not recognized as a Boolean (true/false) value. 1966
Place of decease	Adelaide, South Australia

Richard Layton Butler, known as Dick, was the second son of Richard and Helena Kate Butler and was born on 31st March 1885 at Yattalunga, South Para S.A.

The family moved to the Mallala Station in c.1887.

Dick was educated at the Mallala Primary School and Adelaide Agricultural School.  On completing his schooling he worked for a time on his father's property "Ben Lomond" at Kapunda S.A. before becoming manager of the Butler, Shannon and Company Stock and Station Branch at Hamley Bridge S.A.

He married Maud Isabel Draper of Mallala in 1908 and they farmed at Balaklava S.A.  They had three children Mary, Jean and Layton.

In 1915 Dick Butler was elected to the House of Assembly in the South Australian Parliament as the member for Wooroora. He lost the seat in the 1918 election but regained it in 1921.

He became Liberal Party whip, leader of the Parliamantary Liberal Federation, and after the 1927 election, Premier, Treasurer and Minister of Railways. 
He lost the 1930 election but won again in 1933 and was once again Premier, this time for the recently introduced and controversial extended parliamentary session of five years.

Dick Butler's political career came to a sudden end in October 1939 when he resigned, intending to stand for a seat in the Federal Parliament.

As Premier, Richard Layton Butler initiated the industrialisation of South Australia to combat the reliance of raising revenue for the state on the uncertain primary industries. He was instrumental in keeping the Holden Motor Body Builders Ltd in South Australia, encouraging BHP to build a blast furnace at Whyalla, together with the development of ICI, British Tube Mills and other companies.

Thomas Playford succeeded him as Premier of South Australia and it was at his instigation that in 1939 Richard Layton Butler was made Knight Commander of St Michael and St George (KCMG)

Related Articles Mallala (Butler) Station Butler Philip Butler Sir Richard

Sources

• The Butler Family - compiled by Elizabeth Hutchison

Sir Richard Layton Butler KCMG

Memories of Butler Sir Richard Layton KCMG

Dick Butler was elected to the House of Assembly in 1915 and this was the only parliamentary session during which he and his father Sir Richard Butler, sat together on the Liberal benches in the House.

Do you remember Butler Sir Richard Layton KCMG ? Then Join up and add your memory here.