Elias Solomon

Solomon was born in London, England to Leah and Moss Solomon and migrated to Australia as a child, living at first in Sydney and then Adelaide. His uncle Emanuel Solomon owned the Queen's Theatre in Adelaide, and Solomon's father Moss was for a short while made manager.[1] The family returned to Sydney until Moss' death in 1849 when Leah again moved to Adelaide and Solomon[1] was educated at Adelaide Educational Institution.

Ocean View, his residence built in 1887

After finishing school, Solomon joined another of his uncle's business concerns and in 1857 was sent to Mauritius to purchase goods.[1] On his return, he worked for the firm of Solomon and Salom in Adelaide, and also Falk and Co. of Melbourne.[1]

At the age of 29 Solomon headed west to Fremantle in Western Australia, arriving on 20 January 1868 aboard Eliza Blanche and initially living in Henry Street. Soon the same year he was joined by two of his nephews and together then formed Solomon & Nephews, Auctioneers and Agents[2] of which Solomon was clerk and auctioneer. This venture was part-financed by his half-brother Judah Moss Solomon (of Melbourne) and brother-in-law Isaac Solomon (of Adelaide).

The weight of conducting business in a depressed economic environment bore on Solomon,[1] and this was not helped by his nephews being active members of Fremantle's Amateur Dramatics Company,[3] performing at the Oddfellows in William Street. He wrote to them in July 1869: "…that you may not be under any misunderstanding with regard to my present dissatisfaction, I will be more explicit. You have taken up time belonging to the firm in Amateur Theatrical matters which, I believe, is acting prejudiciously to the business…"[1]

In 1881 he was elected to the Fremantle City Council. In 1892, he was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly as the member for South Fremantle, where he remained until 1901. In that year, he transferred to federal politics, winning the Australian House of Representatives seat of Fremantle for the Free Trade Party. He was defeated by Labor's William Carpenter in 1903. Solomon died in 1909.[4] Solomon was at one time head of the Fremantle Cemetery board, which is where he is buried.

Solomon's residence, Ocean View at 134 Solomon Street, Beaconsfield, was completed in 1887 in the Victorian Regency style. After his death it served as military hospital during World War One, until 1917, and as a maternity hospital in the years between the wars. It now has reverted to a private residence again and is heritage listed.[5] Solomon Street was renamed from Mary Street in the 1950s to commemorate Elias Solomon.[6]

Solomon was married twice, firstly to Agnes Elizabeth Bickley (c. 1846 – 22 April 1886), the daughter of Wallace Bickley.[7] After Agnes' death he re-married to Elizabeth Stokes (16 September 1868 – 3 December 1898) on 1 May 1887.[8] They had five children.[9]

• Wallace Elias Bickley Solomon (1878–1950) was the first secretary, and honorary solicitor, of the Royal Western Australian Historical Society in 1926.[1]
• Maurice Elias Solomon (1888–1977), lawyer and councillor of the City of Fremantle.[1]

• Solomon family for further details of this extensive and influential family

• Prominent Australian Jews