Heinrich Friedrich Adolph Frost (1844-1909)

Henry Adolph Frost (26 June 1844 – 21 July 1909) was a German-born saddler and businessman known for his association with the company which eventually produced the Holden automobile.

Henry Adolph Frost
Adolph Frost at Holden & Frost (SLSA [BRG 213/1/1/6A])
Born	26 June 1844 Hamburg
Died	21 July 1909 Norwood, South Australia
Resting place	Payneham Cemetery, Payneham, South Australia
Nationality	Hamburger
Occupation	saddler
Spouse(s)	1. Elizabeth James (married 1866 Penwortham, South Australia) 2. Celia Gray (married 1893 Adelaide. South Australia)

Biography

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In Germany

Adolph was born in Hamburg, Germany the only son of Johann Joachim Domenicus (John) Frost (31 March 1813 – 14 December 1865) and his wife Catharina Maria Louisa Juncken (March 1821 – 11 February 1905) and two sisters, who emigrated to South Australia on the barque Steinwaerder (Steinwärder) on the 30 August 1848 from Hamburg, arriving on 12 January 1849 at Port Adelaide, South Australia.

In Australia

They settled in the Lyndoch Valley, and were members of the St Martin's Rosenthal Lutheran congregation, before moving to Williamstown in 1861. On completion of his schooling, Adolph was apprenticed as a saddler. after which he followed his trade at Rhynie, then around 1869 to Port Wakefield then Yorketown, where he ran a lucrative business, and for a time served as mayor.

Around 1879 he moved to Adelaide to take a position with J. A. Holden, who on 1 May 1884 took him on as partner in J. A. Holden & Co., which was in a precarious position financially. In August 1885 J. A. Holden sold to his son H. J. Holden and H. A. Frost his interest in the retail arm of the company, which in November 1885 became Holden & Frost. He sold the wholesale business and his Kensington Park mansion with its extensive grounds. Under the terms of the voluntary liquidation the company continued to operate in the premises at 100 Grenfell Street.

Under the new management the company progressed from the world of saddles and harness to motor vehicle bodies and upholstery.

Timeline

Date	Event	Source	Notes

Family

Johann Joachim Domenicus (John) Frost (31 March 1813 – 14 Dec 1865) and his wife Catharina Maria Louisa Juncken (March 1821 – 11 February 1905) arrived in SA from Hamburg in 1849. They had one son and three daughters:

• Henry Adolph Frost (26 June 1844 – 21 July 1909) married (1) Elizabeth James (9 August 1849 – 10 April 1892) on 8 July 1866 in Penwortham, South Australia. They had four daughters and three sons. (2) Celia Gray (13 August 1861 – 22 April 1912) on 24 May 1893 in The Bible Christian Church, Franklin Street, Adelaide South Australia. They had three sons.

• Amie Frost (26 May 1867 – 14 March 1943) married Edward Welbourn (c. 1864 – 24 March 1942) on 18 April 1888, lived in Western Australia
• Fannie? Fanney? Frost (10 May 1869 in Port Wakefield – ) married Walter Ernest Aitken (30 August 1864 – 24 March 1942) on 28 March 1889, lived in Hyde Park
• Clara Frost (19 Apr 1871 – 13 Mar 1872) born and died in Port Wakefield
• Gertrude Frost (13 December 1873 – ) married (Reuben) Clifton Underwood (9 January 1875 – 28 September 1939) on 8 August 1898, lived at Norwood.
• Herbert Adolph Frost (13 February 1878 – 8 September 1910) killed accidentally in Fremantle.
• Harold Clare Frost (6 November 1881 at Yorketown – 23 April 1906)
• Gilbert James Frost (10 February 1884 – 7 May 1953) married Maria Bennett "Polly" Jacobs (4 July 1879 – ) on 25 September 1907
• Raymond Gray (Grey?) Frost (20 May 1894 – 7 April 1966) married (1) Agnes Thelma Millar (13 April 1894 – 4 September 1950) on 30 August 1916 (2) Lynda Dorothy Atkinson (13 September 1897 – 24 December 1959) on 20 July 1922.
• Stuart Clifton Frost (22 April 1896 – 11 May 1966) married Ada Elizabeth Pargiter on 16 June 1917 at Camden, Middlesex, England
• Louis Henry Frost (13 May 1900 – 19 December 1969) married Rosalie Emily Yeates (12 February 1902 – 19 August 1996) buried at Wallaroo, South Australia.

• Louisa Henrietta Caroline Maria Frost (c. 1845 – 25 January 1876) married Robert Swann ( – ) on 1 February 1866
• Caroline Sophia Wilhelmina Frost (c. 1848 – 10 January 1927) married George Wise (1840 – 18 May 1904) on 23 May 1872, lived at Gawler then Norwood

Residences in the City

Dates	Place	Current Address	Co-ordinates

Work in the City

Dates	Place	Current Address	Co-ordinates

Published Obituary

From the Evening Journal, Wednesday 21 July 1909:

" DEATH OF MR. H. A. FROST.

A colonist of 60 years in the person of Mr. Henry Adolph Frost, of Messrs. Holden & Frost died early on Wednesday morning at his residence, Charles street, Norwood. The deceased gentleman was a son of the late Mr. Heinrich Frost, of Hamburg, and arrived in South Australia with his parents when he was five years of age. The family settled at Lyndoch, and after Henry had completed his education he entered into the saddlery trade. From Lyndoch he moved successively to Rhynie. Port Wakefield, and Yorketown, where he carried on his business. About 30 years ago Mr. Frost came to Adelaide and joined the late Mr. J. A. Holden, under the style of Messrs. J. A. Holden and Co. On September 1, 1885, he entered into partnership with Mr. H. J. Holden, son of the late Mr. J. A. Holden, and since that date the firm, which has made remarkable headway, has been known as Messrs. Holden and Frost. The deceased was of a retiring disposition, and the only occasion on which he took an active part in public affairs was when he served a term as Mayor of Yorketown. Mr. Frost was twice married. His first wife was Miss Elizabeth

James, of Clare, who died about 17 years ago; and the second, Miss Cecilia Grey, who came from the same district, and survives, together with three daughters (Mrs. E. Welbourn, of Western Australia; Mrs. W. Aitken, of Glenelg; and Mrs. C. Underwood, of Norwood), and two sons (Messrs. Herbert and Gilbert Frost, of Norwood), by the first marriage, and three sons (Messrs. Raymond, Stewart, and Louis Frost) by the second.”

"

From the Chronicle, Saturday 24 July 1909:

" DEATH OF MR. H. A. FROST. Great regret will be felt among a large circle of friends and business associates concerning the death of Mr. H. Adolphe Frost, of the well-known firm of Messrs. Holden & Frost, wholesale saddlers, which occurred on Wednesday at his residence, Parade, Norwood. Mr. Frost was born in Hamburg in 1844. and he came to this State with his parents when he was but five years old, so that he had resided in South Australia for 60 years. His first home was at Lyndoch and there he learnt his trade as a saddler, subsequently removing to Rhynie. About 38 years ago he went to Port Wakefield and opened a business, afterwards following the trend of farming settlement to Yorketown, where he was very successful commercially. Mr. Frost did not aspire to the occupancy of public positions, but while at Yorketown he was persuaded to accept the nomination for mayor, an office which he held with great credit to himself and advantage to the ratepayers. About 30 years ago Mr. Frost came to Adelaide and entered into partnership with the late Mr. J. A. Holden, under the title of Messrs. Holden & Frost. Afterwards he was associated in the same business with Mr. H. J. Holden, a son of the founder of the firm, and that partnership continued to a few days before his death. Mr. Frost was twice married. His first wife, Miss Elizabeth James, of Clare, died in 1892. His second wife, who survives him, was Miss Celia Grey, a sister of Mrs. Richard Mitchell, of Jamestown. He leaves three daughters (Mrs. E. Welbourn, of Western Australia; Mrs. W. E. Aitken, of Hyde Park; and Mrs. C. Underwood, of Norwood). The sons are Messrs. Herbert, Gilbert, Raymond, Stewart, and Louis Frost, all of whom live at Norwood. His only sister, Mrs. C. Wise, lived for many years at Gawler, but is now resident at Norwood. Mr. Frost was highly esteemed as an upright and enterprising business man. Since he came to Adelaide he had taken no part in public affairs, but all who knew him respected both his character and his judgment.”

"