- From guest writer Nikki Butler of Riverton
Jump to: Philanthropist - Benefactor - Horticulturalist - Legacy
Dr John William Devereaux Bain sailed to Australia from England in 1865 and began an
industrious career which spanned almost 40 years working as a General Practitioner in the
South Australian country town of Clare.
(Photo: Clare Regional History Group)
Philanthropist
Alongside his numerous duties as a working doctor, Dr Bain kept busy planning
improvements for Clare.
He bought a plot of land for £25 which he then donated to the town for the purpose of
erecting the Clare Institute. This building had a variety of uses including being a place for
holding meetings and giving educational talks. Dr Bain became the president of the Institute
Committee and they raised money for causes such as importing new books from England as
well as the building of other town facilities. He was in this position for over 30 years and
witnessed Clare’s population grow steadily over time. The Clare Institute building still exists
today as the Clare Public Library.
(The Clare Public Library, 2023)
Other improvements which Dr Bain funded were public amenities such as a water fountain
and a water trough for horses as well as the area’s first butter factory which was formed in
the building which formerly housed the public baths, also built with initiative from Dr. Bain.
Benefactor
Due to his ownership of original BHP shares, Dr Bain was able to donate some money to the
poorer people of Clare. In 1867 he was given the title of Medical Attendant for the Destitute
showing that he placed importance on giving every Clare resident access to a doctor. He also
made the town’s youth a priority when he established the area’s first roller skating rink
during the rise in popularity of the past time.
Dr Bain’s Residence, 1880 (Clare Collection, State Library South Australia)
Horticulturalist
Dr Bain had other hobbies outside of making improvements to the town. He became the
president of the Clare Agricultural and Horticultural Society who put on the annual Clare
Show, the first being held in 1867. These shows would display a range of the area’s best
livestock and would attract thousands of visitors. A keen gardener, Dr Bain grew various
different types of prize-winning flowers, fruit and vegetables which he would enter into the
show.
Legacy
Dr Bain’s influence on the establishment of Clare is still visible today. After his death in 1903
the town erected the Bain Rotunda located in the Lions Park on Victoria Road both as a
monument to his work and in remembrance of his love of music.
(Bain Rotunda, now with adjacent amphitheatre seating, 2023)
Although Dr Bain died in Adelaide after spending the last years of his life in Port Germain, he
was brought back to be buried in the town he spent so much of his life building into the
place it is today.
For more info on the history of Dr Bain, Read the the post ‘Daring Dr Bain’
Sources