Background
Bews was born near Kirkwall, in the Orkney Islands, and went to South Australia with his parents the following year.
Bews was born near Kirkwall, in the Orkney Islands, and went to South Australia with his parents the following year.
In 1853, during the gold rush in Victoria, his family removed to that colony, but only to return one year later. Bews" father then engaged in farming operations near Portuguese Elliot, and afterwards near Adelaide. He subsequently became goods manager.
But seven years later (in 1879), when the Government took over the line, he left the service, and entered the ranks of journalism by taking charge of the Wallaroo Times.
On 16 February 1885 Bews first entered the South Australian House of Assembly as member for Wallaroo, after Henry Allerdale Grainger resigned the previous month. Bews was re-elected on 19 March 1887, and at the General Election in 1890.
In August of that year he accepted the office of Minister of Education in Thomas Playford II"s Government. Bews, who had been appointed one of the South Australian delegates at the Postal Convention, died in Melbourne whilst en route to Sydney on 24 February 1891.
He was three times mayor of the Wallaroo Corporation, besides which he was a member of the late Yorke"s Peninsula Local Road Board, and the School Board of Advice.
