E. H. Coombe
Encyclopedia
Ephraim Henry Coombe was born at Gawler, South Australia
. He was the eldest son of Ephraim Coombe, a farm-labourer and shopkeeper from Devon, and his wife Mary, née Lock. After working as a grocery assistant in his father's shop, he became a journalist and editor of the Gawler Bunyip newspaper. Later, in 1914, he became editor of the Adelaide Daily Herald. On 1 March 1880 in Adelaide
he married Sarah Susannah Fraser Heywood of Willaston
.
Coombe was the member for Barossa in the South Australian House of Assembly
from 1901–1912. He resigned from the Liberal and Democratic Union and joined the United Labor Party. He re-entered Parliament in 1915, again as member for the Barossa.
Coombe is remembered for his defence during World War I
of the Barossa Valley
German community, members of whom were suspected of disloyalty and persecuted. During World War I, Coombe opposed anti-German measures such as the closure of Lutheran schools. He also opposed conscription. Coombe died in 1917.
A memorial was erected in his honour in Tanunda's
main street.
In March 1917, Coombe had been prosecuted under the War Precautions Act
, fined £10 and "bound over to keep the peace". Despite having three sons who were serving in the forces, he was accused of disloyalty because of his support for his constituents. His premature death at the age of 58 from cerebral haemorrhage in 1917 has been attributed to the stress of "persecution" over the loyalty issues.
In 1887/88, Coombe had played first class
cricket
for South Australia. However, he only played in one match scoring 10 runs.
Coombe was active in the arts, being governor of the Adelaide
Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery in 1901–06. He also wrote a history of his home town, History of Gawler, 1837–1908, published by the Gawler Institute in 1910 as a memento of the jubilee of the Institute and the Municipality of Gawler, 1908.
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. He was the eldest son of Ephraim Coombe, a farm-labourer and shopkeeper from Devon, and his wife Mary, née Lock. After working as a grocery assistant in his father's shop, he became a journalist and editor of the Gawler Bunyip newspaper. Later, in 1914, he became editor of the Adelaide Daily Herald. On 1 March 1880 in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
he married Sarah Susannah Fraser Heywood of Willaston
Willaston, South Australia
Willaston is a northern suburb northeast of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the Town of Gawler.-History:William Paxton and Samuel Stocks obtained land in the area in 1848 and 1849. After Stocks died in 1850, Paxton laid out the village called Willaston...
.
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
from 1901–1912. He resigned from the Liberal and Democratic Union and joined the United Labor Party. He re-entered Parliament in 1915, again as member for the Barossa.
Coombe is remembered for his defence during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
of the Barossa Valley
Barossa Valley
The Barossa Valley is a major wine-producing region and tourist destination of South Australia, located 60 km northeast of Adelaide. It is the valley formed by the North Para River, and the Barossa Valley Way is the main road through the valley, connecting the main towns on the valley floor of...
German community, members of whom were suspected of disloyalty and persecuted. During World War I, Coombe opposed anti-German measures such as the closure of Lutheran schools. He also opposed conscription. Coombe died in 1917.
A memorial was erected in his honour in Tanunda's
Tanunda, South Australia
Tanunda is a town situated in the Barossa Valley region of South Australia, 70 kilometres north east of the state capital, Adelaide. The town derives its name from an Aboriginal word meaning water hole. Town population is approximately 3500.-Settlement:...
main street.
In March 1917, Coombe had been prosecuted under the War Precautions Act
War Precautions Act 1914
The War Precautions Act 1914 was an Act of the Parliament of Australia which gave the Government of Australia special powers for the duration of World War I and for six months afterwards.-Provisions:...
, fined £10 and "bound over to keep the peace". Despite having three sons who were serving in the forces, he was accused of disloyalty because of his support for his constituents. His premature death at the age of 58 from cerebral haemorrhage in 1917 has been attributed to the stress of "persecution" over the loyalty issues.
In 1887/88, Coombe had played first class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
for South Australia. However, he only played in one match scoring 10 runs.
Coombe was active in the arts, being governor of the Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery in 1901–06. He also wrote a history of his home town, History of Gawler, 1837–1908, published by the Gawler Institute in 1910 as a memento of the jubilee of the Institute and the Municipality of Gawler, 1908.