Edward William Price

Price was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1832. He joined the Royal Navy in 1851, serving initially as a midshipman aboard HMS Ajax. During the Crimean War, he was a member of the crew of HMS Simoon. For his service, he was awarded the British Crimean War Medal and the Turkish Crimean War Medal.[2] He asked to be discharged in 1856, and this request was granted.[1]

Price moved to South Australia in 1859, and became a civil servant the following year.[3] He spent several years working as a court clerk, initially for Gawler Town Local Court[4] and later for the Police Court at Adelaide.[5] In 1873, he was appointed a Justice of the Peace and Special Magistrate for South Australia.[6]

Price married Mina Hamilton, a fellow Irish emigrant, on 6 November 1860 in Adelaide.[7] They had six children. Price's wife and children all died together in 1875 when a ship they were travelling on, the SS Gothenburg, was wrecked off the coast of Queensland.[1]

On 1 July 1876, Price was appointed Government Resident of the Northern Territory, succeeding George Byng Scott. He remained in this position until 6 March 1883.[1] During his tenure, he was a prominent proponent of Christian values, especially on the issue of alcohol. He also started a Church of England congregation in the Residency, partly funded by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.[8]

After resigning from his position as Government Resident,[3] he travelled to London aboard SS Bowen. He died in London on 14 November 1893.[1]