Boyd Dawkins
Maynard Boyd Dawkins | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Stirling West, South Australia |
| Died | October 21, 1996 (aged 79) |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, sheep breeder, choirmaster |
| Known for | Member of the South Australian Legislative Council, president of Gawler Men's Branch of the Liberal and Country League |
Maynard Boyd Dawkins MBE (2 January 1917 – 21 October 1996) was a South Australian politician, sheep breeder, and choirmaster.
History
Dawkins was born in Stirling West as the sole son of Albert Maynard Dawkins of Gawler River and Mary (née Yeoman). The Dawkins family were among the early settlers and held a notable presence in the Gawler region.
He pursued his education at Roseworthy Agricultural College, where his father was a board member. Similar to fellow legislator Leslie Rupert Hart, Dawkins specialized in breeding Dorset Horn sheep.
As president of the Gawler Men's Branch of the Liberal and Country League, he secured election as a Liberal representative for a Midland district in the South Australian Legislative Council in March 1962. Following the 1973 legislation that introduced statewide proportional representation, he transferred to the reorganized Legislative Council in July 1975. Dawkins concluded his political career in November 1982.
Other interests
A committed teetotaller, Dawkins actively participated in the Methodist Church and the Band of Hope, upholding a longstanding family commitment. He was an accomplished bass-baritone singer with the Adelaide Philharmonic Choir under Clifford Lathlean’s direction and also led the Gawler Choral Society as its conductor.
Personal
On 24 August 1943, he wed Constance Lilian Wilkinson. Their son, John Dawkins, born on 3 July 1954, followed in his footsteps by serving in the Legislative Council from 1997 until 2022 and held the position of President from September 2020 to March 2022.
Another relative, his nephew John Dawkins, was a distinguished figure in the Australian Labor Party and served as Federal Treasurer between 1991 and 1993.