Kym Bonython

Hugh Reskymer "Kym" Bonython, (15 September 1920 – 19 March 2011) was an Australian politician, World War Two veteran, musician, gallery owner, and racing driver.

He was a prominent and active member of society in Adelaide, Australia. He had a distinguished career as a pilot during the Second World War, was a jazz drummer, owned an art gallery, raced speedcars, and served on the Adelaide City Council.

Early life Hugh Reskymer "Kym" Bonython was born on 15 September 1920 in Adelaide, South Australia, (Sir John's first wife died in childbirth, aged 26). He was named "Hugh Reskymer Bonython" after an ancestor who had served as High Sheriff of Cornwall in 1619. Both his father, John Lavington Bonython, had been (among other things) editors of daily Adelaide newspaper The Advertiser. His father had also served as a councillor, alderman, Mayor and Lord Mayor of the City of Adelaide. Kym was the youngest of six children; he had one half-brother (John Langdon Bonython (1905–1992)), two half-sisters (Lady Betty Wilson and Ada Heath), a brother (Charles Warren Bonython ) and a sister (Katherine Verco).

Wartime pilot Bonython attended St Peter's College, Adelaide, and upon completion entered into accountancy on the recommendation of his older half-brother John. He was in hospital in Darwin (with dengue fever) during the 1942 bombing - he had just evacuated and taken cover when the ward he had been in took a direct hit. and on 22 February 1946, Squadron Leader Bonython AFC was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)

Discovering jazz When Bonython returned from service he chose not to return to accounting, deciding on a very different career path. Initially he took up dairy farming on his father's Mount Pleasant property, where he introduced artificial breeding of cattle into Australia. In the 1950s his career changed to incorporate music, the arts, and motor racing. Later, at the urging of his children, he expanded his range to rock and roll, bringing the likes of Chuck Berry to Adelaide, and he was one of the key people responsible for negotiating the addition of Adelaide to the Beatles Australian tour 1964.

Passion for art Along with music, Bonython had a passion for art, and he began his collection in 1945. In 1961 he opened his first gallery, the Bonython Art Gallery in North Adelaide, (which later became the Bonython Meadmore gallery). His first major exhibition was British Art of the 1960s, where he exhibited the first painting of Francis Bacon shown in Australia. He subsequently moved to Sydney to open the Hungry Horse Gallery in Paddington in 1966. His time with his Sydney gallery ended in 1976, and he returned to Adelaide to buy back his original gallery, operating it until 1983. ), Bonython authored and published a number of art books.

Behind the wheel Bonython raced Speedcars at the Rowley Park Speedway in the Adelaide suburb of Bowden, which he also owned the lease on and promoted from 1954 to 1973. Bonython had some major crashes in Speedcars but also some success, winning the South Australian Championship in 1959–60. He competed at venues such as the Sydney Showground Speedway, Claremont Speedway in Perth and the Brisbane Exhibition Ground (Ekka). At one stage he was also the national hydroplane champion. His time in motor sports earned him the title of "the man with 99 lives" and, from Max Harris regarding Rowley Park, the "Cecil B. De Mille of Bowden".

Personal life In 1979 Bonython wrote an autobiography: Ladies' Legs and Lemonade, Kym Bonython, Adelaide: Rigby, 1979.

Bonython was married twice and had five children: Robyn and Chris from the first marriage, Tim, Michael and Nicole from the second. – they divorced in 1953. In 1957, while still on crutches from his accident at Snowden's beach, he married former Miss South Australia Julianna McClure (Julie).

Bonython died on 19 March 2011 at his home in North Adelaide, aged 90.

Publications Modern Australian Painting & Sculpture: A Survey of Australian Art from 1950 to 1960, Rigby, Adelaide, 1960. Modern Australian Painting 1960–70, Rigby, Adelaide, 1970. Modern Australian Painting 1970–75, Rigby, Adelaide, 1976, , Kym Bonython & Elwynn Lynn Modern Australian Painting 1975–80, Rigby, Adelaide, 1980. Modern Australian Painting 1950–75, Rigby, Adelaide, 1980. Ladies' Legs and Lemonade, Adelaide: Rigby, 1979.

Honours and awards On 1 September 1944 Bonython was awarded the Air Force Cross. In the 1987 Australia Day Honours, Bonython was appointed Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), Australia's highest civilian honour, "in recognition of service to the community, particularly as Chairman of the SA Jubilee 150 Board".

Bonython was also appointed a Knight of the Venerable Order of Saint John (KStJ), and awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of the University by the University of Adelaide (DUniv) in recognition of his outstanding service to the arts and the community. Other honours included a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Adelaide Critics Circle in 2007,

2007 – Inaugural member, Australian Speedway Hall of Fame 2010 – Kym Bonython Fellowship named in his honour