John Brodie Spence (15 May 1824 – 7 December 1902) was a prominent Scottish-born banker and politician in the early days of South Australia.

He was afterwards for five years official assignee and curator of intestate estates, then in 1856 accountant in the Railway Department,[8] and from 1859 to 1864 Official Assignee and Curator of Intestate Estates, but left that office for the management of the English and Scottish Bank (soon to become English, Scottish and Australian Chartered Bank) which he held till 1878.

[9][10] He was elected a member of the legislative council in 1881, second on the poll with Henry Ayers, W. C. Buik, James Rankine, John Pickering, and R. A. Tarlton.

He was Chief Secretary in the Downer Government from June to October 1885, when he retired to take the position of Commissioner of Public Works.

They had three daughters: Magarey, Susan Unbridling the Tongues of Women: A biography of Catherine Helen Spence University of Adelaide Press 2nd edition 2010 ISBN 978-0-9806723-1-2 (paperback).