Obituaries Australia

Edward Bagot, 1886

State Library of South Australia, B 26910

Edward Meade Bagot, who was slightly over 63 years old, was one of the best known and most respected men in the city. He was straightforward and blunt to a fault, and was popularly known amongst his best friends as 'the man who never changed.' Shrewd, clear headed, and unaffected, his judgment upon matters coming within his scope and upon which he might happen to be consulted was always valuable. He never said what he did not mean, and never hesitated to give his opinion in plain words. Of decidedly original and thoroughly independent character he was known to almost every man, woman, and child in the place; and although his bluntness at times set him at variance with some people who came in contact with him, even his antagonists (they could not be called enemies) were always prepared to admit the solid worth of his nature. He possessed great energy and good business ability, but unfortunately he pinned his financial faith to the Northern Territory gold mines, and lost heavily by his then misplaced confidence in the rapid development of the gold bearing country. He nevertheless continued up to the time of his death to take a strong interest in the Territory, and when the Northern Territory Association was started here about three years ago he was one of its founders and first committee men. Had he confined himself to his business as a stock and station agent he would most probably have become one of the wealthiest men in South Australia. He was an excellent judge of stock—in fact one of the best in the colony—and his services were invaluable to the Royal Agricultural Society as a judge of horses and cattle at its periodical shows. His services in that capacity were sought by the committees of country Agricultural Societies, and to get Mr. E. M. Bagot upon the list of Judges was to secure a shrewd, experienced, and impartial critic, whose judgment was generally regarded as being almost infallible. He was also a connoisseur in light wines, and he served as Judge at our local Wine Shows. As already stated, he was prominently engaged in pastoral pursuits in the colony. He once owned the Beefacres Estate, and later had a large establishment at Thebarton for the manufacture of tallow and the curing of meat, which was manufactured into what was known as 'Bagot's Extract of Beef.' He was always greatly interested in racing as a sport, and owned the thoroughbred mare Cowra that twice won the Adelaide Cup. More than twenty years ago he was Secretary of the S.A. Jockey Club when races used to be conducted upon the Thebarton Course, and was succeeded by Mr. C. J. Coates. It was through Mr. Bagot's influence that the services of Mr. Coates were secured as Secretary of the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society, of which the deceased gentleman was always a most consistent supporter, and more than once Vice-President. Mr. Bagot has always taken a prominent part in the proceedings of the Society, especially in any matters connected with stock, and his death will be a great loss to the Committee of Management. He leaves a widow, four sons, and five daughters. It should be added that the deceased was one of three sons of the late Captain C. H. Bagot, who came to the colony with his family from County Kildare, Ireland, in 1840, and after filling many public positions and doing excellent services as a legislator and philanthropist, died at the advanced age of 92 on July 28, 1880. The ancestral history of the family in Ireland shows that the Bagots were held in high repute, and colonists will certainly say that the emigration of the late Captain Bagot to South Australia has proved of great service in the development of the pastoral, agricultural, and mining interests of the colony. His father and brother, whilst holding a squatting property in the locality which is now known as the Kapunda District, discovered the Kapunda Mine, in which Mr. E. M. Bagot acted for some time as Accountant.