Arthur Groom
Encyclopedia
Arthur Champion Groom was an Australia
n politician and land agent
.
before arriving in Victoria in 1872. He married Gertrude Rudge, with whom he had a daughter and three sons, at Geelong
on 8 January 1877, at which time he was managing a nearby station. He continued in the stock and land management business for many years.
for the seat of Gippsland South
in March 1886, and transferred to Gippsland West
in 1889, but lost his seat in 1892. He continued to be active in the local area; he became a member of the Railway Standing Committee in 1890 and was a member of the royal commission on the Victorian coal industry in 1889.
in the Australian House of Representatives
at the inaugural federal election in 1901, representing the Free Trade Party
. He was rarely present at Parliament as he continued his work as a stock agent, and retired from the House in 1903.
, an extremely successful venture which turned Groom's interest further north. In 1910 he moved to Queensland
, where he lived until his death on 22 March 1922 at Cloncurry
. He was survived by his second wife Eva Rosabel, and their three daughters and four sons, together with a daughter of his first marriage.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician and land agent
Land agent
Land agent may be used in at least three different contexts.Traditionally, a land agent was a managerial employee who conducted the business affairs of a large landed estate for a member of the landed gentry of the United Kingdom, supervising the farming of the property by farm labourers and/or...
.
Early life
Groom was born at Harefield, Tasmania, the fifth son of Francis Groom and Matilda Emma, née Minnett. He attended Horton College at RossRoss, Tasmania
Ross is a historic town in the Midlands of the state of Tasmania in Australia. Situated on the Macquarie River, Ross is located 78 km south of Launceston and 117 km north of Hobart...
before arriving in Victoria in 1872. He married Gertrude Rudge, with whom he had a daughter and three sons, at Geelong
Geelong, Victoria
Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...
on 8 January 1877, at which time he was managing a nearby station. He continued in the stock and land management business for many years.
State politics
As principal of the firm Hamilton, Groom & Co., Groom became associated with the Gippsland area. He was elected to the Victorian Legislative AssemblyVictorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
for the seat of Gippsland South
Electoral district of Gippsland South
The Electoral district of Gippsland South is a Lower House electoral district of the Victorian Parliament. It is located within the Eastern Victoria Region of the Legislative Council ....
in March 1886, and transferred to Gippsland West
Electoral district of Gippsland West
ĦThe electoral district of Gippsland West was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria.-Members for Gippsland West:-External links:...
in 1889, but lost his seat in 1892. He continued to be active in the local area; he became a member of the Railway Standing Committee in 1890 and was a member of the royal commission on the Victorian coal industry in 1889.
Federal politics
Groom was elected to the seat of FlindersDivision of Flinders
The Division of Flinders is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election...
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....
at the inaugural federal election in 1901, representing the Free Trade Party
Free Trade Party
The Free Trade Party which was officially known as the Australian Free Trade and Liberal Association, also referred to as the Revenue Tariff Party in some states and renamed the Anti-Socialist Party in 1906, was an Australian political party, formally organised between 1889 and 1909...
. He was rarely present at Parliament as he continued his work as a stock agent, and retired from the House in 1903.
Later life
After leaving parliament, he bought a property, Kyogle, in northern New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, an extremely successful venture which turned Groom's interest further north. In 1910 he moved to Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, where he lived until his death on 22 March 1922 at Cloncurry
Cloncurry, Queensland
-Notable residents:*Writer Alexis Wright grew up in Cloncurry.*Association Footballer Kasey Wehrman was born in Cloncurry . He went on to play domestically and in Scandinavia. His achievements include winning a NSL Championship in 1996-1997 with the Brisbane Strikers and being capped several times...
. He was survived by his second wife Eva Rosabel, and their three daughters and four sons, together with a daughter of his first marriage.