Richard Bowen Colley was the first mayor of Glenelg, South Australia. Colley was born in London and visited South Australia in the 1830s, then emigrated with his family on the Competitor, arriving in October 1847. He lived for a time in North Adelaide, then moved to St. Leonards some time before 1864, and was a regular worshipper at St. Peter's Church, Glenelg; his house was later bought by William Rounsevell, and it was there that Lady Daly died. He was a member of the Volunteer Reserve, serving as a Lieutenant under H. R. Wigley. He was an agent for the European Life Assurance Society and Secretary of the Kadina and Wallaroo Railway Company. He served a City Auditor, Government liquidator, Justice of the Peace, and Returning Officer for the Assembly seat of West Torrens. He was for a time owner of Section 4014, Hundred of Onkaparinga, known as Gilleston, adjoining Balhannah, and later incorporated into that town. He suffered ill health and with his wife returned to England on the Orient in 1876 in the hope of finding a cure, but died the following year at Park Place, Regent's Park, London.
Recognition
Colley Reserve, Glenelg, was named for him.
A stained glass window in St. Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide was dedicated to his memory.
Family
Richard B. Colley married Isabella Daniels ; their children included four daughters and four sons:
Frances "Fanny" Elizabeth Colley married Edmund MacKenzie Young on 10 October 1864. Edmund was SA manager of the National Bank of Australasia, later came into conflict with the law in the Mercadool land conspiracy case. He died from pneumonia; his wife was in London at the time, may have remained there. They had two sons and two daughters.
Katherine Edith Colley married Richard Chaffey Baker on 23 December 1865. He was a son of the Hon. John Baker
Lister Colley married Louisa Simms on 12 December 1883, lived at Clare. She was a daughter of William Knox Simms.
Richard Nevill Colley
Reginald Beaumont Colley married Isabella Jane Scott on 10 January 1884
Edward Mammatt Colley married Marian Fisher Georgiana Morphett on 8 April 1885. She was youngest daughter of Sir John Morphett. She married again, to Frederic G. Levi on 9 November 1905
