William Paxton (Australian businessman)

[2][3] In November 1840 he took over W. E. Bayldon's chemist shop "Apothecaries' Hall" at the west end of Hindley Street.

[6][7][8][9] According to one account, for some reason he refused to pay the first corporation rates so a large jar of some drug was seized from his shop and sold at auction.

[14] He showed his continuing interest after his return to England by offering a prize for the best British wheat grown from South Australian seed.

At the election of officers 1845, those nominated for directors (seven to be chosen, three to be replaced each year and ineligible for re-election for one year) were: George Bean, Charles Beck, Tom Cox Bray (father of John Cox Bray), Edward Castres Gwynne, Hon.

B. Neales, Robert Pepperell (publican, returned to London 1848), John Ridley, George Stevenson.

[17] He also invested in the company town Kooringa,[18] building four hotels and more permanent accommodation, including those now called "Paxton's Cottages".

He purchased sections 97 and 144 of around 250 acres "Lockleys Estate" in the early 1850s, which was used by pastoralist Charles Brown Fisher (ca.1918 – 1908) for his stables and horse paddocks.

[25][26] In 1855 he purchased Town Acre 142 on Grenfell Street, which had been set aside as Church property and required a special Act to enable the sale.

[35] There is no record of Paxton being a rider, but he owned a number of racehorses, the most successful being the bay gelding "Highflyer".

[42] His home in 1869 was Linden House, Cheswick, Northumberland; in 1871 was 1 Palace Gate, Kensington, and when he died was Palmeira Square, Hove.

His caricature by S. T. Gill entitled "Throw physic to the dogs" (referring to his days as a druggist) is held by the State Library of South Australia.