Edward Dewhirst (30 August 1815 – 4 February 1904) was a well-known South Australian minister of religion and educationist, born in Suffolk, England.
He was educated there at King Edward VI Grammar School, having classics instruction from the headmaster John William Donaldson.
In 1833 he was articled to a surgeon and started studying medicine, but in 1836 sailed for Jamaica in the West Indies where he worked for two or three years, and made the acquaintance of Rev.
[1] In August 1860 he was appointed second Inspector of Schools with the South Australian Education Department,[4] where his kindly ways endeared him to both staff and students, although his philosophy of sound learning in a few subjects was at odds with the prevailing trend of less intense teaching over a broad range.
In June 1891 he retired to the Adelaide Hills town of Nairne, where he was able to indulge his passions for literature, cricket and gardening, and became a valued member of the community, dying there in 1904.