Dr. George Vause Birks was a medical doctor who with his family emigrated to South Australia in 1853, and died there less than four years later. Their family was significant in the commercial life of the young city of Adelaide. Many of the Birks family were involved in William Lane's New Australia colony in Paraguay and others in the irrigation settlement at Murtho initiated by the Government on the River Murray, losing substantial sums in the failures of these Utopian ventures.
History
Dr. George Vause Birks, his wife Hannah Napier Birks and their family lived in Knutsford, near Manchester, England, and emigrated to South Australia on the Leonidas, arriving at Glenelg, South Australia in December 1853. They settled in Angaston, where he began practicing. He died four years later, as a result of being thrown from his horse. Mrs Birks then ran a store in Angaston, assisted by her sons William and George, who as W. H & G. N. Birks later opened a stationery shop and Birks Chemists in Rundle Street, Adelaide. Another son, Charles, opened a drapery store which became a major Adelaide department store.
Family
This list is not exhaustive but is intended to show the relationship of all members of the family likely to be encountered in Wikipedia and local histories. Dr. George Vause Birks and Hannah Napier Birks arrived in South Australia in December 1853 with their seven children:
George Napier Birks married Helen Rosetta Thomas on 28 January 1863. She was the second daughter of William Kyffin Thomas. He founded Birks Chemists with William H. Birks, joined William Lane's contingent to "New Australia" in Paraguay, where he died; his wife returned to Adelaide.
Alfred James Birks married Catherine Charlotte Salter on 23 February 1865; she married again, to J Hardinge Thomas on 3 March 1884. Alfred was with the Bank of South Australia, then partner with James Alexander Holden in a retail saddlery and leathergoods business Holden & Birks 1871–1874, with premises at 59 Rundle Street at the southwest corner of Gawler Place; later to become Birks Chemists. Thomas was with British Australian Coke Company.
William Hanson Birks married Adeline Jefferson "Ada" Raymond of River Don, Tasmania on 28 August 1863. He and brother George Napier Birks opened Birks Chemists at the Rundle Street – Gawler Place corner in 1876. He had a residence in Beaumont, died in Sydney.
Charles Napier Birks, generally known as Charles Birks, married Mary Maria Thomas on 13 September 1866; Rosetta Jane "Rose" Thomas on 8 March 1879. Mary and Rose were first and fifth daughters of William Kyffin Thomas. He married once more, to Alice May Hone, a sister of Dr. F. S. Hone, on 11 September 1913, lived "Felton", Lefevre Terrace, North Adelaide, then from 1914 at "Avonlea", 26 Northcote Tce., Gilberton. She married again, to George E. Goodhart, on 20 December 1926. He was founder of Charles Birks & Co., the Rundle Street department store.
John Napier Birks married Sophia Roberts on 30 March 1871; he married again, to Ann Susannah "Annie" Burrowes on 28 January 1888. As Rev. Birks conducted marriages August 1871 to 1873, subsequently his licence was revoked. They were pioneer settlers at Murtho irrigation settlement from 1895 to 1898 or 1899, when the venture failed at a substantial loss to all concerned. Lived Claremont, Western Australia from around 1900, perhaps earlier; he had pharmacy at 130 William Street Perth; youngest son Arthur Norman Birks had pharmacy at 680 Hay Street, Perth.
Walter Richard Birks married Jemima "Mina" Scott Crooks on 29 April 1873. He was a partner in Charles Birks & Co from 1879 to 1886 and participated in the Murtho irrigation settlement from 1894 to 1898 or 1899, losing their considerable investment.
Emily Hannah Birks married Alexander Crooks on 18 September 1873. Crooks, a brother of Jemima "Mina" Scott Birks, was a noted cricketer, superintendent of the Kent Town Methodist Sunday school, and manager of the Commercial Bank of South Australia, which failed in February 1886. He, accountant Alexander McKenzie Wilson and clerk Caulfield Barton were convicted of embezzlement; he was sentenced to eight years' jail. He moved to Claremont, Western Australia.
;Other notable Australians named Birks
Rev. Martin James Birks, son of William Birks of Longton Staffordshire, married Mary Moss. He was pastor of Maughan Methodist New Connexion Church 1875–1883 following the death of Rev. James Maughan, and appears not to be closely related.
Frederick Birks, VC, MM soldier, killed in World War I, appears not to be closely related.
