Obituaries Australia

The community generally and businessmen especially will read with regret of the death of Mr S. A. [Samuel Aaron] Joseph, which took place at his late residence, Midhurst, Nelson-street, Woollahra, yesterday morning at 11 o'clock, after an illness of about 10 days' duration. The deceased gentleman was the son of Mr. Aaron Joseph, of Streatham, near London, England, where he was born on October 11, 1824. He was educated at the London University, and arrived in New Zealand in 1842 in the ship Prince of Wales, which was one of the first vessels to reach that colony from England. Upon his arrival he at once entered into mercantile pursuits, continuing therein until 1856, in which year he came to Sydney. Here he made his influence felt in commercial circles, and soon after his arrival joined Mr Jacob Montefiore, forming the old and well known firm of Montefiore, Joseph, and Co. Mr. Joseph represented West Sydney in the Legislative Assembly from November, 1864 until September, 1868, resigning the seat upon his departure for England. Upon his return to the colony in 1881 he was appointed to the Legislative Council, his seat lapsing in 1885, owing to his prolonged absence in England. He was, however, reappointed to the Council in 1887. Mr. Joseph was also a member of several Royal Commissions, appointed by the Government, dealing chiefly with matters connected with the public service of the colony. He was also a member of the board of management of the Synagogue for nearly a quarter of a century, in which capacity his services were received with marked appreciation. Mr Joseph had long been a prominent figure in the commercial life of the city, and, though he was regarded as a most astute man of business, he shared in the adverse as well as in the prosperous conditions through which it has passed. He felt the full force of the crisis of 1893. In the earlier days he occupied a seat on the directorate of the Australian Mutual Provident Society, being in fact one of its first members and directors. He was also a director of the City Bank of Sydney and several other institutions. At the time of his death he was a member of the board of the Sydney Exchange Company. For many years he took a very active and intelligent part in the affairs of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce, being several times elected president of the Chamber. He contributed numerous papers and speeches on various subjects discussed at its meetings and conferences. Being a good speaker, he was able to illustrate and enforce his views so as to render effective service to the cause which he espoused. Mr. Joseph was appointed a commissioner to the International Exhibition in 1879, the Melbourne Exhibition in 1880, Calcutta in 1883, and Adelaide in 1887. Although he avoided rather than sought publicity, Mr. Joseph was widely known and highly respected, and his kindly disposition endeared him to many who knew him most intimately. He leaves a widow and two daughters in the colony and one son who is resident in England.