Sir John Langdon Bonython KCMG (/bɒˈnaɪθən/;[1] 15 October 1848 – 22 October 1939) was an Australian editor, newspaper proprietor, philanthropist, journalist and politician who served as a member of the inaugural federal Parliament, and was editor of the Adelaide daily morning broadsheet, The Advertiser, for 35 years.

George (senior) was born in Canada to which his parents Thomas Bonython (1787-1860) and Ann (née Langdon; 1800-1897?)

George was sent back to England into the care of his maternal grandfather John Harris Langdon, a successful architect/builder.

[3] On 12 January 1929, Adelaide paper The Mail announced that Langdon Bonython had sold The Advertiser for £1,250,000 to a group of Melbourne financiers, but had retained a considerable interest.

In 1889 he became the president of the council for the South Australian School of Mines and Industries, a position he held until his death.

[3] Bonython joined the council of the University of Adelaide in 1916, and donated over £50,000 for the construction of a hall,[7] and £20,000 to fund a Chair in law.

[11] In 1931, he donated £2,000 to the Royal Cornwall Museum building fund and the Bonython gallery on the ground floor was named in his honour.

[12] His wife, Lady Bonython, was also active in altruistic causes, notably the Kindergarten Union[13] and State Children's Council,[14] in association with Catherine Helen Spence and C. Emily Clark.

Beneficiaries under his will included the Pirie Street Methodist Church, where he always worshipped and of which he was a trustee; St Peter's Cathedral, to which he donated the cost of the canons' and choir stalls in 1925 in memory of his wife who had died the previous year; and the Salvation Army.

On 24 December 1870, Bonython married Mary Louisa Fredericka Balthasar (died 9 February 1924) in Adelaide.

[21] Bonython told The Literary Digest: "It is a Cornish name and the accent is on the second syllable: Bon-y'thon, y as in spy.