Edmund Jowett
Encyclopedia
Edmund Jowett was an Australia
n politician and an early deputy leader of the Australian Country Party.
, England
, at Bradford, on 6 January 1858 to Joseph Jowett and Sarah, née Craven. He attended Mr James Ward's Classical School at Clapham Common
in London
and went to his uncle's wool mill at Thornton
. He migrated to Melbourne
in Australia
in 1876 with his father and elder brother Charles, where he worked on The Argus
and contributed to the Australasian Banking Record. He married Annette Rose McCallum on 24 November 1883 at East St Kilda
.
, New South Wales
and Victoria, eventually controlling more than forty and owned over six million acres (24,000 km²). The Bulletin
stated at his death that he had owned more sheep than anyone in the world. He was appointed growers' representative on the Central Wool Committee (a wartime institution) in 1916, and also served on the Commonwealth Bureau of Commerce and Industry and the Victorian Meat Advisory Committee.
. In 1917 he became the first Victorian vice-president of the Nationalist Party
; in the election of that year he unsuccessfully contested the seat of Maribyrnong
. However, in October he won the by-election for the seat of Grampians
that followed the death of Charles Salmon
, and became a member of the Country Party in 1920. His seat was abolished in 1922, and he contested Bendigo
instead, but was unsuccessful. He continued to be active in the Country Party.
, Jowett always encouraged the immigration of Britons to Australia. He also produced a number of publications, and was a company director for some years. On 14 April 1936 he died at Strathane, one of his properties in the Queensland
district of Leyburn
, and was buried at St Kilda. He was survived by his wife, a son and three daughters.
One of his grandsons was the cabinet minister David Fairbairn
.
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 an early deputy leader of the Australian Country Party.
Early life
Jowett was born in YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, 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...
, at Bradford, on 6 January 1858 to Joseph Jowett and Sarah, née Craven. He attended Mr James Ward's Classical School at Clapham Common
Clapham Common
Clapham Common is an 89 hectare triangular area of grassland situated in south London, England. It was historically common land for the parishes of Battersea and Clapham, but was converted to parkland under the terms of the Metropolitan Commons Act 1878.43 hectares of the common are within the...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and went to his uncle's wool mill at Thornton
Thornton
The given name Thornton originates from the Old English, means "settlement walled by strong thorn hedges" or "thorny estate dweller". May refer to:-United Kingdom:*Thornton, Angus*Thornton, Buckinghamshire*Thornton, East Riding of Yorkshire...
. He 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...
in Australia
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...
in 1876 with his father and elder brother Charles, where he worked on The Argus
The Argus (Australia)
The Argus was a morning daily newspaper in Melbourne established in 1846 and closed in 1957. Widely known as a conservative newspaper for most of its history, it adopted a left leaning approach from 1949...
and contributed to the Australasian Banking Record. He married Annette Rose McCallum on 24 November 1883 at East St Kilda
St Kilda, Victoria
St Kilda is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip...
.
Pastoralist
Jowett gradually accumulated property in QueenslandQueensland
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...
, New South Wales
New 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...
and Victoria, eventually controlling more than forty and owned over six million acres (24,000 km²). The Bulletin
The Bulletin
The Bulletin was an Australian weekly magazine that was published in Sydney from 1880 until January 2008. It was influential in Australian culture and politics from about 1890 until World War I, the period when it was identified with the "Bulletin school" of Australian literature. Its influence...
stated at his death that he had owned more sheep than anyone in the world. He was appointed growers' representative on the Central Wool Committee (a wartime institution) in 1916, and also served on the Commonwealth Bureau of Commerce and Industry and the Victorian Meat Advisory Committee.
Politics
Jowett was influenced as a young man by Sir Frederick Sargood; his early political activity consists of membership of the Young Victorian Patriotic League and campaigning for conscriptionConscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
. In 1917 he became the first Victorian vice-president of 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...
; in the election of that year he unsuccessfully contested the seat of Maribyrnong
Division of Maribyrnong
The Division of Maribyrnong is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. It is located in the north-western suburbs of Melbourne. It covers the suburbs of Moonee Ponds, Essendon, Niddrie, Keilor East, Avondale Heights, Tullamarine, Airport West, Sunshine and Brooklyn. Due to...
. However, in October he won the by-election for the seat of Grampians
Division of Grampians
The Division of Grampians was anAustralian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It was abolished in 1922. It was named for the Grampian Ranges in central Victoria, and included the towns of...
that followed the death of Charles Salmon
Charles Salmon
Charles Carty Salmon , generally known as Carty Salmon, was an Australian politician and Speaker of the House of Representatives.-Early life:...
, and became a member of the Country Party in 1920. His seat was abolished in 1922, and he contested Bendigo
Division of Bendigo
The Division of Bendigo is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named for the city of Bendigo...
instead, but was unsuccessful. He continued to be active in the Country Party.
Later life
An advocate of electoral reform and proportional representationProportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
, Jowett always encouraged the immigration of Britons to Australia. He also produced a number of publications, and was a company director for some years. On 14 April 1936 he died at Strathane, one of his properties in the 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...
district of Leyburn
Leyburn, Queensland
Leyburn is a town in the Southern Downs region of Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Leyburn and the surrounding area had a population of 348.-History:...
, and was buried at St Kilda. He was survived by his wife, a son and three daughters.
One of his grandsons was the cabinet minister David Fairbairn
David Fairbairn
Sir David Eric Fairbairn KBE DFC was an Australian politician and cabinet minister.-Early life:Fairbairn was born in Claygate, Surrey, England...
.
Publications
- The Unnatural Fall in Prices Due to Currency Legislation (1895)
- The Ruinous Fall in the Prices of Produce and the Prevailing Scarcity of Money (1894)
- Electoral reform for Australia (1917)
- Proportional Representation for the Senate (1919)