From Australia’s Jewish Past
David Samuel Benjamin – Merchant and Prominent Jewish and Non-Jewish Organisational ‘’Mensch’’
David Benjamin
David was born on 10 April 1869 in Brisbane. He was the eldest son of Maurice a merchant, and his wife, Fanny. He trained as an architect and practiced briefly before moving to New South Wales in 1889. He tried several different occupations as he was not happy to practise architecture, and at the time of marrying in October 1899, he was a storekeeper in Junee NSW. The couple had two sons.
In 1903 he became manager of the well-established retail business of Sweet Brothers, drapers, of Newtown and North Sydney. The following year, he bought into the business and, in 1906, became the managing director. The Newtown shop was at 259 King Street, and unfortunately, the building was burnt down in 1936.
In 1907 he was elected a member of the Master Retailers’ Association (which later became the Retail Traders’ Association of New South Wales) and served on its council from 1907-36. As president from 1918-20, he helped to increase the membership and prestige of the association, and in 1919, founded the organisation’s journal in which he maintained a keen interest.
Benjamin enjoyed his involvement in the community and worked for various philanthropic institutions within Sydney. He had been a valuable friend of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and served as a director from 1919-43. The hospital had been in severe financial difficulty before David joined the board and contributed to the finances and administrative work of the hospital in many ways, including as honorary treasurer for twelve months from 1924-25. As reported in the Sydney Morning Herald on 21 October 1919, the then President Lieutenant-Colonel Dr E W Fairfax, son of the late Sir James Fairfax, welcomed David to the board and stated that ‘’the hospital now stood as the greatest general and acute hospital in Australia, which was carrying on the work which the board should be justly proud’’. As a member of the House Committee, Benjamin instituted and organised an appeal for electric lighting in the hospital and was active in its Jubilee Fund campaign of 1923. He contributed liberally to other public appeals, serving on the University Cancer Research Committee which by 1927 had raised over £120,000 for the University of Sydney. In 1919, he became vice-chairman of the Influenza Administration Committee, which controlled ambulances during the epidemic, followed by, in February 1920, his appointment as Chairman of the New South Wales Ambulance Transport Service Board. This organisation then became the St John Ambulance Association and David became a member of the executive. In 1933 he was admitted as an associate serving brother to the Order of St John of Jerusalem in recognition of his services. Benjamin was also a trustee of the National Park, a councillor of the Employers’ Federation of New South Wales, and a member of the State Executive Committee for the 1919 Commonwealth Peace Celebrations.
As far as the Jewish community was concerned, David was a most prominent member, serving on boards of the Great Synagogue from 1921-23, the Sir Moses Montefiore Jewish Home from 1917-21, and in 1923 he took on the position of treasurer to the Building Committee of the New South Wales Jewish War Memorial building fund.
On 1 December 1943 David, a chronic asthmatic, died of heart failure in Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Moving tributes were paid to him by many organisations, as he was one of the most versatile leaders and workers in the community. His interests ranged from the Synagogue to the Debating Society, from education to public relations.
In an article in the publication Truth of 1 August 1926, it was reported “A bunch of keys and a penny can be rattled to make a wealthy noise in any man’s pocket, but David Benjamin does not like noise. He deserted the architecture profession in the days when it did not pay well. Today he is the managing director of Sweet Bros. Ltd and can rattle well, his bank manager knows. Sweet Bros, is the largest business in Newtown— the largest suburb in Australia. Still, he has many other interests, being a director of the Civil Service Stores, the National Club, a councillor of the Millions Club, and a Trustee of National Park. Charitable work is the mainspring of his life’s work, yet he finds time to cultivate his Edgecliff Garden.’’
The AJHS acknowledges the following references in the preparation of this story:
Australian Dictionary of Biography – Suzanne Rutland; Hebrew Standard of Australasia, 4 July 1919, 27 Aug 1936, 9 Dec 1943; Master Retailers Association Journal; Sydney Morning Herald – Trove – 21 October 1919; 22 December 1927
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