Aubrey Abbott
Encyclopedia
Charles Lydiard Aubrey Abbott (4 May 1886 – 30 April 1975) was an Australian politician and administrator of the Northern Territory
. He was born at St Leonards
, Sydney, to Thomas Kingsmill Abbott, a magistrate, and Marion, née Lydiard. He came from a political family – his uncles, Sir Joseph Abbott
and William Abbott, had served in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
, while his cousins, Joe Abbott and Mac Abbott, would later enter Federal parliament.
, he left school at 14 to work as a jackeroo near Gunnedah
; he also attempted to become an actor in Sydney and a stockman in Queensland
. He joined the New South Wales Police Force and on 1914 enlisted in the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
, and then transferred to the Australian Imperial Force
, and served in New Guinea
, Gallipoli
, and Sinai. He married Hilda Gertrude Hartnett on 24 October 1916 in Westminster Cathedral
in London, where he had been sent after falling ill in the trenches. He returned to World War I in 1917, and took part in the Egyptian Expeditionary Force
advance to Damascus
. He was wounded in 1918, and promoted to captain. He returned to Australia in 1920.
, New South Wales, financed by his uncle William, and became active in the Graziers' Association of New South Wales and the Northern New State League. He made an unsuccessful attempt to enter the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
in 1925 via the seat of Namoi
, but defeated Lou Cunningham
to win Gwydir
for the Country Party at the federal elections of that year. He rose quickly through parliament and became Minister for Home Affairs
in 1928, but was defeated at the 1929 elections.
Old Guard. He was returned as the member for Gwydir in 1931 and remained in parliament until 1937, when he was appointed administrator of the Northern Territory
. Perceived as insensitive, arrogant and authoritarian, he was met with hostility by many Northern Territorians, especially in Darwin
, although he had a good relationship with the pastoral industry. He was instrumental in removing Cecil Cook as chief protector of Aborigines
in 1938 and, although he was on good terms with his Aboriginal staff, he was a paternalist who viewed Aborigines mostly as a resource.
Abbott was almost killed in the Japanese bombing attack on Darwin in 1942, and was criticised for lack of leadership. The administration was evacuated to The Residency
in Alice Springs and returned in 1945, although he was deposed the following year. In 1950 he published a book, Australia's Frontier Province, in which he surveyed the Northern Territory
's development. He retired to Bowral
and continued writing. He died on 30 April 1975 at Darlinghurst
, and was given a state funeral
.
Administrator of the Northern Territory
The Administrator of the Northern Territory is an official appointed by the Governor-General of Australia to exercise powers analogous to that of a state governor...
. He was born at St Leonards
St Leonards, New South Wales
St Leonards is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. St Leonards is located 5 km north-west of the Sydney central business district and lies across the local government areas of Municipality of Lane Cove, North Sydney Council and the City of...
, Sydney, to Thomas Kingsmill Abbott, a magistrate, and Marion, née Lydiard. He came from a political family – his uncles, Sir Joseph Abbott
Joseph Palmer Abbott
Sir Joseph Palmer Abbott, KB, KCMG was an Australian politician and solicitor.-Early life:Joseph Palmer Abbott was born on 29 September 1842 at Muswellbrook, New South Wales, to John Kingsmill Abbott, a squatter, and his wife Frances Amanda, née Brady...
and William Abbott, had served in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
, while his cousins, Joe Abbott and Mac Abbott, would later enter Federal parliament.
Early life and military service
Educated at The King's School, SydneyThe King's School, Sydney
The King's School is an independent Anglican, day and boarding school for boys in North Parramatta in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831, it is Australia's oldest school and forms one of the nine "Great Public Schools" of New South Wales. Situated within a site, Gowan Brae,...
, he left school at 14 to work as a jackeroo near Gunnedah
Gunnedah, New South Wales
Gunnedah is a town and Local government area in north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. 7,542 people lived in the town of Gunnedah in 2006, including 931 indigenous people ....
; he also attempted to become an actor in Sydney and a stockman in 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...
. He joined the New South Wales Police Force and on 1914 enlisted in the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
The Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force was a small volunteer force of approximately 2,000 men, raised in Australia shortly after the outbreak of the First World War to seize and destroy German wireless stations in German New Guinea in the south-west Pacific...
, and then transferred to the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
, and served in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
, and Sinai. He married Hilda Gertrude Hartnett on 24 October 1916 in Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral in London is the mother church of the Catholic community in England and Wales and the Metropolitan Church and Cathedral of the Archbishop of Westminster...
in London, where he had been sent after falling ill in the trenches. He returned to World War I in 1917, and took part in the Egyptian Expeditionary Force
Egyptian Expeditionary Force
The Egyptian Expeditionary Force was formed in March 1916 to command the British and British Empire military forces in Egypt during World War I. Originally known as the 'Force in Egypt' it had been commanded by General Maxwell who was recalled to England...
advance to Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. He was wounded in 1918, and promoted to captain. He returned to Australia in 1920.
Member of Parliament
Abbott bought a property near TamworthTamworth, New South Wales
Tamworth is a city in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Peel River, Tamworth, which contains an estimated population of 47,595 people, is the major regional centre for southern New England and in the local government area of Tamworth Regional Council. The city...
, New South Wales, financed by his uncle William, and became active in the Graziers' Association of New South Wales and the Northern New State League. He made an unsuccessful attempt to enter the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
in 1925 via the seat of Namoi
Electoral district of Namoi
The Namoi was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1880 and named after the Namoi River. It elected two members between 1891 and 1894. In 1894 it was abolished and partly replaced by Narrabri...
, but defeated Lou Cunningham
Lou Cunningham
Lucien Lawrence "Lou" Cunningham was an Australian farmer and politician. He was born at Inverell, New South Wales, to a farmer, Eugene Cunningham, and his wife Mary, née Edgeworth, both born in Ireland...
to win Gwydir
Division of Gwydir
The Division of Gwydir was an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election...
for the Country Party at the federal elections of that year. He rose quickly through parliament and became Minister for Home Affairs
Minister for Home Affairs (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Home Affairs has been Brendan O'Connor since 6 June 2009. The Home Affairs portfolio brings together agencies such as the Australian Customs Service , the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, which were previously the...
in 1928, but was defeated at the 1929 elections.
Administrator of the Northern Territory
No longer a member of parliament, Abbott became secretary to the Primary Producers' Advisory Council, and it has been suggested that he was an organiser of the paramilitaryParamilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
Old Guard. He was returned as the member for Gwydir in 1931 and remained in parliament until 1937, when he was appointed administrator of the Northern Territory
Administrator of the Northern Territory
The Administrator of the Northern Territory is an official appointed by the Governor-General of Australia to exercise powers analogous to that of a state governor...
. Perceived as insensitive, arrogant and authoritarian, he was met with hostility by many Northern Territorians, especially in Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, although he had a good relationship with the pastoral industry. He was instrumental in removing Cecil Cook as chief protector of Aborigines
Australian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
in 1938 and, although he was on good terms with his Aboriginal staff, he was a paternalist who viewed Aborigines mostly as a resource.
Abbott was almost killed in the Japanese bombing attack on Darwin in 1942, and was criticised for lack of leadership. The administration was evacuated to The Residency
The Residency, Alice Springs
The Residency holds significance for the people of Alice Springs as a tangible symbol of their brief legislative independence from the rest of the Northern Territory...
in Alice Springs and returned in 1945, although he was deposed the following year. In 1950 he published a book, Australia's Frontier Province, in which he surveyed the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
's development. He retired to Bowral
Bowral, New South Wales
-Attractions:Bowral is perhaps the best known of the towns and villages of the Southern Highlands, and in recent years has become the commercial centre of the Wingecarribee Shire. Bowral is known for its boutiques, antique stores, gourmet restaurants, and rich coffee culture.Bowral is home to the...
and continued writing. He died on 30 April 1975 at Darlinghurst
Darlinghurst, New South Wales
Darlinghurst is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Darlinghurst is located immediately east of the Sydney central business district and Hyde Park, within the local government area of the City of Sydney...
, and was given a state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
.