Alec Thomson
Encyclopedia
Alexander Thomson known as Alec Thomson, was an Australian politician, and a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
from 1914 until 1930 representing the seat of Katanning
, and a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council
representing the South Province from 1931 until 1950.
, Tyne and Wear
, England, to John Thomson, a carpenter, joiner and builder, and Jane (néé McWilliam). His mother died when he was very young, and the family moved to Melbourne
, where he attended Essendon Primary School until the age of 14. He was apprenticed to his father in the carpentry trade before working in several Victorian towns.
In 1895, Thomson came to Western Australia
, working as a journeyman
at Fremantle
before establishing a business there. On 4 April 1896, he married Edith Maud Jenkinson, with whom he was to have four sons. He worked at Buckland Hill
and served as a councillor on the Buckland Hill Road Board from 1903 until 1905, before moving to the town of Katanning
where he opened a timber and hardware store known as Thomson and Melany. In 1911, he was elected to the Katanning Road Board
and served as its chairman in 1913.
At the 1914 state election
, Thomson was elected under the Liberal Party banner to the seat of Katanning
. He switched to the Country Party
in 1917.
Thomson became the Country Party's deputy leader in 1921. In 1923, the party split between the majority of the party's parliamentary wing, who favoured coalition with the Nationalist Party
, and the party executive who favoured a more independent line. Thomson led the three-member Executive Country Party to the 1924 election, where most of the Majority faction lost their seats. Thomson became leader of a reunited Country Party and led it until being defeated in his own seat by Arnold Piesse, an unendorsed Country Party candidate, at the 1930 election.
He stood for and won a by-election for one of the South-East Province seats in the Western Australian Legislative Council
on 26 September 1931 following the death of Hector Stewart, which he retained until his retirement at the 1950 Legislative Council election, at which his son, Jack Thomson, succeeded him. Jack went on to hold the seat for 24 years.
Over the intervening years, Alec Thomson had been director of the Katanning Flour Mill, founder of the Katanning Fresh Air League and the Historical Society, and was active in local affairs, including serving as president of the Katanning Bowling Club and the Katanning Club. He was also active in the Freemasons.
Thomson died at home on 18 November 1953, aged 80, and was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery
.
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
from 1914 until 1930 representing the seat of Katanning
Electoral district of Katanning
Katanning was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1904 to 1989.The district was based around the town of Katanning in the southern part of the state...
, and a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
representing the South Province from 1931 until 1950.
Biography
Thomson was born in South ShieldsSouth Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
, Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
, England, to John Thomson, a carpenter, joiner and builder, and Jane (néé McWilliam). His mother died when he was very young, and the family moved to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, where he attended Essendon Primary School until the age of 14. He was apprenticed to his father in the carpentry trade before working in several Victorian towns.
In 1895, Thomson came to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, working as a journeyman
Journeyman
A journeyman is someone who completed an apprenticeship and was fully educated in a trade or craft, but not yet a master. To become a master, a journeyman had to submit a master work piece to a guild for evaluation and be admitted to the guild as a master....
at Fremantle
Fremantle
Freemantle is a suburb of Southampton in England.Fremantle or Freemantle may also refer to:- Places :* Fremantle, the port city to the capital Perth, Western Australia...
before establishing a business there. On 4 April 1896, he married Edith Maud Jenkinson, with whom he was to have four sons. He worked at Buckland Hill
Mosman Park, Western Australia
The Town of Mosman Park is a Local Government Area of Western Australia. It covers an area of approximately 4.3 km² in western metropolitan Perth, the capital of Western Australia and lies about 14 km southwest of the Perth CBD and 5 km from Fremantle.-History:The Buckland Hill Road...
and served as a councillor on the Buckland Hill Road Board from 1903 until 1905, before moving to the town of Katanning
Katanning, Western Australia
Katanning is a town located 277 km south east of Perth, Western Australia on the Great Southern Highway. At the 2006 census, Katanning had a population of 3,808.-History:...
where he opened a timber and hardware store known as Thomson and Melany. In 1911, he was elected to the Katanning Road Board
Shire of Katanning
The Shire of Katanning is a Local Government Area in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, about north of Albany and about southeast of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of , and its seat of government is the town of Katanning....
and served as its chairman in 1913.
At the 1914 state election
Western Australian state election, 1914
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 21 October 1914 to elect 50 members to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. The Labor party, led by Premier John Scaddan, retained government against the opposition conservative Liberal Party led by Opposition Leader Frank Wilson,...
, Thomson was elected under the Liberal Party banner to the seat of Katanning
Electoral district of Katanning
Katanning was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1904 to 1989.The district was based around the town of Katanning in the southern part of the state...
. He switched to the Country Party
National Party of Western Australia
The National Party of Western Australia is a political party in Western Australia. It is affiliated with the National Party of Australia but maintains a separate structure and identity....
in 1917.
Thomson became the Country Party's deputy leader in 1921. In 1923, the party split between the majority of the party's parliamentary wing, who favoured coalition with the Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
, and the party executive who favoured a more independent line. Thomson led the three-member Executive Country Party to the 1924 election, where most of the Majority faction lost their seats. Thomson became leader of a reunited Country Party and led it until being defeated in his own seat by Arnold Piesse, an unendorsed Country Party candidate, at the 1930 election.
He stood for and won a by-election for one of the South-East Province seats in the Western Australian Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
on 26 September 1931 following the death of Hector Stewart, which he retained until his retirement at the 1950 Legislative Council election, at which his son, Jack Thomson, succeeded him. Jack went on to hold the seat for 24 years.
Over the intervening years, Alec Thomson had been director of the Katanning Flour Mill, founder of the Katanning Fresh Air League and the Historical Society, and was active in local affairs, including serving as president of the Katanning Bowling Club and the Katanning Club. He was also active in the Freemasons.
Thomson died at home on 18 November 1953, aged 80, and was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery
Karrakatta Cemetery
Karrakatta Cemetery is a metropolitan cemetery in the suburb of Karrakatta in Perth, Western Australia. Karrakatta Cemetery first opened for burials in 1899, with Robert Creighton. Currently managed by the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board, the cemetery attracts more than one million visitors each...
.