James Penn Boucaut was and Englishman of French descent, born in Mylor, Cornwall, England on 29 October 1831. He was the son of Captain Ray Boucaut and his wife Winifred neé Penn. It was the custom in those days to keep the ladies maiden name hence 'Penn Boucaut'. He was educated at Rev. Mr Hayley's school in Saltash in Cornwall, just near the river Tamar where the famous Brunel Bridge now stands.

 

His parents emigrated to Australia in 1946, when James was just 15 years of age. After working initially as a stockman in the interior, in 1851 he decided to study Law and was admitted to the Bar in 1855. He married his 3rd wife, Janet McCulloch on 22 March 1864 and together they had seven children, six sons and a daughter.

 

In October 1865 he became attorney general of South Australia. The following year he became Prime Minister of the State of South Australia, resigning in 1867 to fight an ongoing legal case relating to mineral mining rights. In June of 1875 Boucaut became prime Minister for the second time has well as being appointed a Q.C. he was again elected Prime Minister for the third time in 1877.

 

In 1878 he was appointed Senior Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia.

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On 25th April 1883 he purchased the land that was to become the Quambi stud. 

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He was appointed K.C.M.G (Knight Commander of the order of St. Michael and St. George) in June of 1898. 

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1891 built a 12 bedroom house at his Quambi Stud Farm

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In 1903 he retired as a judge due to ill health and spent much of his time at his Quambi Stud Farm

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1905 he published his first book, The Arab, The Horse of the Future. The following year he  published his second book 'Letters to My Boys'.

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His Quambi Stub was sold at auction in 1911 by Messrs Elder, Smith & Co. The following article appeared in the Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser (SA : 1880 - 1954), Friday 30 June 1911. Interestingly, the property was sold by one Cornishman to another named John Cornish!

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Throughout his career, although he often appeared grim and foreboding,  those who knew him, considered hime kind, courteous and a generous man.

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