Philip SANTO

SANTO, PHILIP (b. Salt Ash, near Plymouth, England, 7 Aug 1818, d. Adelaide, SA, 17 Dec 1889). Builder, parliamentarian, church pioneer.

Philip Santo joined the Baptist Church when he was 19. He later married and, with his wife, migrated to Australia, arriving in Adelaide in December 1840. A carpenter and builder Santo, in partnership with James Crabb Verco (q.v.) superintended the construction of several large business premisses in the central business district of Adelaide. In the early 1850s Santo spent some time at the Burra copper mines, the Vic goldfields and in Melbourne. He later returned to Adelaide and went into business as a merchant. For over twenty years he represented various constituencies in the SA House of Assembly and the Legislative Council. While in the Assembly, he was Commissioner of Public Works during six successive ministries.

After arriving in Adelaide, Santo joined the Scotch Baptist Church in Hindley Street. With J C Verco he constructed a small meeting house in Franklin Street, which became the first meeting house of Churches of Christ in Adelaide. He was also involved in the transfer of the church to a new home in Grote Street, where he remained a member until his death. He was president of the SA Conference of Churches of Christ 1886.

H R Taylor, The History of Churches of Christ in South Australia, 1846-1959 (Adelaide, 1959)

GRAEME CHAPMAN