Charles Jones (Victorian politician)
Encyclopedia
Charles Edwin Jones was an Australian politician.
Jones was born in Devonport
in England
to Welsh tailor John Jones and Elizabeth, née Tucker, becoming a tailor like his father. He became involved in radical and temperance causes and vigorously opposed Roman Catholicism. He married Anne Letitia Angear at Devonport in 1850, and in 1851 the couple migrated to Melbourne
where Jones continued to work as a tailor until 1862. He was elected to Melbourne City Council
in 1862 and remained until October 1865, his activism against Premier John O'Shanassy
's "Irish ministry" led him to be associated with the protectionists despite his earlier free trade
leanings. In 1864, having been persuaded by the Orange Order to stand for the Victorian Parliament, he was elected to the seat of Ballarat East
as a supporter of James McCulloch
, and was appointed government whip.
Jones' wife died on 3 June 1863, and he remarried on 17 February 1865 to Charlotte Ryan. Appointed literary editor of the Ballarat
Evening Post in 1867, he had defected to the Opposition in October 1866 after being disappointed in his hopes for a ministry; he later returned to McCulloch but lost his seat at the 1868 election. During the Darling grant crisis he was re-elected to the parliament, defeating the lands minister William Vale
in a ministerial by-election for Ballarat West
and joining the opposition to Charles Sladen
's government. In July, with McCulloch's return to government, he was appointed commissioner of roads and railways and vice-president of the board of lands and works. He quickly became embroiled in a series of court cases and inquiries resulting from his involvement in corrupt land operations; despite resigning his seat and winning re-election in March 1869, he was expelled from the Assembly in April and re-elected again by his constituents. He lost his seat in 1871 after his support was split by a large field of candidates.
Jones' marriage fell apart in 1872 and after an unsuccessful court case in which he tried to marry Rebecca Einley he travelled to America
, where he worked as a journalist and lecturer, living in Utah
and Wisconsin
. He returned to Victoria
in 1881 and attempted to re-enter politics, failing at a by-election for Geelong
in 1882 and for Ballarat West at the 1883 election before winning the seat in 1886. Running for Windermere in 1889 he was decisively defeated, losing again in 1892, after which he moved to Western Australia
to work as a librarian. He continued his political efforts, running for Fremantle
in the first federal election in 1901 with disappointing results. He returned to Ballarat in 1902 and died at Korumburra
in 1903.
Jones was born in Devonport
Devonport, Devon
Devonport, formerly named Plymouth Dock or just Dock, is a district of Plymouth in the English county of Devon, although it was, at one time, the more important settlement. It became a county borough in 1889...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to Welsh tailor John Jones and Elizabeth, née Tucker, becoming a tailor like his father. He became involved in radical and temperance causes and vigorously opposed Roman Catholicism. He married Anne Letitia Angear at Devonport in 1850, and in 1851 the couple migrated 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 Jones continued to work as a tailor until 1862. He was elected to Melbourne City Council
City of Melbourne
The City of Melbourne is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central city area of Melbourne. The city has an area of 36 square kilometres and has an estimated population of 93,105 people. The city's motto is "Vires acquirit eundo" which means "She gathers strength as she...
in 1862 and remained until October 1865, his activism against Premier John O'Shanassy
John O'Shanassy
Sir John O'Shanassy, KCMG , Australian colonial politician, was the 2nd Premier of Victoria. O'Shanassy was born near Thurles in County Tipperary, Ireland, the son of a surveyor, and came to the Port Phillip District in 1839...
's "Irish ministry" led him to be associated with the protectionists despite his earlier free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
leanings. In 1864, having been persuaded by the Orange Order to stand for the Victorian Parliament, he was elected to the seat of Ballarat East
Electoral district of Ballarat East
Ballarat East is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria. It is a 3,323 km² part-urban and part-rural electorate covering areas to the east of the regional centre of Ballarat...
as a supporter of James McCulloch
James McCulloch
James McCulloch is also the name of the cashier of the Baltimore branch of the Second National Bank of the United States. This James McCulloch was not involved in the McCulloch vs. Maryland U.S. Supreme Court case....
, and was appointed government whip.
Jones' wife died on 3 June 1863, and he remarried on 17 February 1865 to Charlotte Ryan. Appointed literary editor of the Ballarat
Ballarat, Victoria
Ballarat is a city in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately west-north-west of the state capital Melbourne situated on the lower plains of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarrowee River catchment. It is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in the state and the fifth...
Evening Post in 1867, he had defected to the Opposition in October 1866 after being disappointed in his hopes for a ministry; he later returned to McCulloch but lost his seat at the 1868 election. During the Darling grant crisis he was re-elected to the parliament, defeating the lands minister William Vale
William Vale
Squadron Leader William "Cherry" Vale DFC & Bar, AFC was a Royal Air Force pilot who, during the Second World War, claimed 30 enemy aircraft shot down and shared in the destruction of three others, and also claiming 6 damaged and another two shared damaged.His 20 kills achieved while flying the...
in a ministerial by-election for Ballarat West
Electoral district of Ballarat West
-See also:*Parliaments of the Australian states and territories*List of members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly-External links:*...
and joining the opposition to Charles Sladen
Charles Sladen
Sir Charles Sladen, KCMG , Australian colonial politician, was the 6th Premier of Victoria.Sladen was born in England near Walmer, Kent, the second son of John Baker Sladen, deputy-lieutenant of the county. He was educated at Shrewsbury and later at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. In 1840, he graduated...
's government. In July, with McCulloch's return to government, he was appointed commissioner of roads and railways and vice-president of the board of lands and works. He quickly became embroiled in a series of court cases and inquiries resulting from his involvement in corrupt land operations; despite resigning his seat and winning re-election in March 1869, he was expelled from the Assembly in April and re-elected again by his constituents. He lost his seat in 1871 after his support was split by a large field of candidates.
Jones' marriage fell apart in 1872 and after an unsuccessful court case in which he tried to marry Rebecca Einley he travelled to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he worked as a journalist and lecturer, living in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. He returned to Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
in 1881 and attempted to re-enter politics, failing at a by-election for Geelong
Electoral district of Geelong
The Electoral district of Geelong is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It is based around inner metropolitan Geelong and includes the suburbs of Bell Park, Drumcondra, East Geelong, Geelong, Geelong West, Newtown and South Geelong and parts of Highton, and North Geelong...
in 1882 and for Ballarat West at the 1883 election before winning the seat in 1886. Running for Windermere in 1889 he was decisively defeated, losing again in 1892, after which he moved 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...
to work as a librarian. He continued his political efforts, running for Fremantle
Division of Fremantle
The Division of Fremantle is an Australian Electoral Division in Western Australia.The division was created at Federation in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election...
in the first federal election in 1901 with disappointing results. He returned to Ballarat in 1902 and died at Korumburra
Korumburra, Victoria
Korumburra is a town in the Australian state of Victoria. It is located on the South Gippsland Highway, kilometres south-east of Melbourne, in the South Gippsland Shire local government area....
in 1903.