Agar Wynne
Encyclopedia
Agar Wynne was an Australian politician.
Wynne was born in London, but his family emigrated to Australia when he was a child. He educated at Melbourne Church of England Grammar School and enrolled in an articled clerk's course at the University of Melbourne
and was admitted as an attorney in July 1874. He married Mary Jane Robertson, née Smith, a widow with two children in November 1886. She died in 1889 and in February 1896 he married Annie Dudgeon, née Samuel, a widow with three children.
which he held until 1903 and was Postmaster-General and Solicitor-General from 1893 to 1894 in Sir James Patterson
's government and Solicitor-General from 1900 to 1902 in Sir George Turner
's and Sir Alexander Peacock
's governments.
Wynne won the seat of Balaclava
at the 1906 elections in the Australian House of Representatives
as an Independent Protectionist. He joined the Fusion government
and served as Postmaster-General in the Cook Ministry
from June 1913 to its fall in September 1914, but he did not contest the 1914 elections
, apparently because he could not reorganise his department
to run on efficient business principles.
Wynne returned to politics in 1917, winning the state seat of St Kilda
and was Attorney-General, Solicitor-General, Minister of Railways and a Vice-President of the Board of Land and Works from November 1917 to March 1918 in Sir John Bowser
's government. He did not stand for re-election in 1920.
Wynne acquired Nerrin Nerrin, a 2953 ha property near Streatham
, where he died after a series of strokes, survived by the daughter of his first marriage.
Wynne was born in London, but his family emigrated to Australia when he was a child. He educated at Melbourne Church of England Grammar School and enrolled in an articled clerk's course at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
and was admitted as an attorney in July 1874. He married Mary Jane Robertson, née Smith, a widow with two children in November 1886. She died in 1889 and in February 1896 he married Annie Dudgeon, née Samuel, a widow with three children.
Political career
In 1888, Wynne won the seat of Western Province in the Victorian Legislative CouncilVictorian Legislative Council
The Victorian Legislative Council, is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia; the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Council serves as a house of review, in a similar fashion to...
which he held until 1903 and was Postmaster-General and Solicitor-General from 1893 to 1894 in Sir James Patterson
James Patterson (Australian politician)
Sir James Brown Patterson, KCMG , Australian colonial politician, was the 17th Premier of Victoria.Patterson was born in Alnwick, Northumberland, and emigrated to Victoria in 1852 to seek his fortune on the goldfields...
's government and Solicitor-General from 1900 to 1902 in Sir George Turner
George Turner (Australian politician)
Sir George Turner, KCMG, PC , Australian politician, was the 18th Premier of Victoria and the first Treasurer of Australia in the federal Barton Ministry....
's and Sir Alexander Peacock
Alexander Peacock
Sir Alexander James Peacock, KCMG , Australian politician, was the 20th Premier of Victoria.Peacock was born of Scottish descent at Creswick, the first Victorian Premier born after the gold rush of the 1850s and the attainment of self-government in Victoria. He was distantly related to the family...
's governments.
Wynne won the seat of Balaclava
Division of Balaclava
The Division of Balaclava was an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It was named for the suburb of Balaclava, which in turn was named for a battlefield of the Crimean War...
at the 1906 elections in the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
as an Independent Protectionist. He joined the Fusion government
Commonwealth Liberal Party
The Commonwealth Liberal Party was a political movement active in Australia from 1909 to 1916, shortly after federation....
and served as Postmaster-General in the Cook Ministry
Cook Ministry
The Cook Ministry was the tenth Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 24 June 1913 to 17 September 1914.Commonwealth Liberal Party*Hon Joseph Cook, MP: Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs*Rt Hon Sir John Forrest, GCMG MP: Treasurer...
from June 1913 to its fall in September 1914, but he did not contest the 1914 elections
Australian federal election, 1914
Federal elections were held in Australia on 5 September 1914. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 36 seats in the Senate were up for election in a double dissolution...
, apparently because he could not reorganise his department
Postmaster-General's Department
The Postmaster-General's Department was created at Federation in 1901 to control all postal services within Australia. Its minister was the Postmaster-General. In mid-1975 it was disaggregated into the Australian Telecommunications Commission and the Australian Postal Commission...
to run on efficient business principles.
Wynne returned to politics in 1917, winning the state seat of St Kilda
Electoral district of St Kilda
The Electoral district of St. Kilda was an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly.-Members of St Kilda:-See also:*Parliaments of the Australian states and territories*List of members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly...
and was Attorney-General, Solicitor-General, Minister of Railways and a Vice-President of the Board of Land and Works from November 1917 to March 1918 in Sir John Bowser
John Bowser
John Bowser , Australian politician, was the 26th Premier of Victoria. He was born in London, the son of an army officer, and arrived in Melbourne as a child with his family. He grew up at Bacchus Marsh and when he left school got a job with the Bacchus Marsh Express...
's government. He did not stand for re-election in 1920.
Wynne acquired Nerrin Nerrin, a 2953 ha property near Streatham
Streatham, Victoria
Streatham is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia, located on the Glenelg Highway, west of Ballarat, in the Rural City of Ararat. At the 2006 census, Streatham had a population of 377....
, where he died after a series of strokes, survived by the daughter of his first marriage.