Edward Braddon
Encyclopedia
Sir Edward Nicholas Coventry Braddon, KCMG
(11 June 1829 – 2 February 1904), Australia
n politician
, was the Premier of Tasmania from 1894 to 1899, and was a Member of the First Australian Parliament in the House of Representatives
. Braddon was a Tasmanian delegate
to the Constitutional Conventions
.
Both the suburb of Braddon
in the Australian Capital Territory
and the Division of Braddon
in Tasmania are named after him.
, Cornwall
in 1829, the son of unsuccessful solicitor
Henry Braddon and his wife Fanny White. He had two sisters, one of whom, Mary Elizabeth Braddon
, was later a famous novelist. Braddon was educated at various private schools including University College School
, and later at University College London
.
Henry and Fanny separated in 1840, due to Henry's financial failures, and in 1847, Braddon left for India
to take a job with his cousin's
merchant business. He later joined the Indian civil service, rising to the position of assistant commissioner, and serving as Inspector-General of Registration and Commissioner of Excise and Stamps.
In 1857, Braddon married Amy Palmer, and together they had two sons and four daughters. One of these sons was Sir Henry Yule Braddon, who was a Rugby union player, representing New Zealand
(the All Blacks
) and New South Wales
, and was later a Commissioner (ambassador
) for Australia in the United States
. Daughter Alice Gertrude married Colonel Bernard Underwood Nicolay CB (see Nicolay (family)
).
In 1876, Braddon married Alice Smith, who survived him.
During the Indian Mutiny
, Braddon fought as a volunteer on behalf of the British
forces. In 1872, Braddon wrote a memoir detailing his experiences in India, entitled Life in India. He left the Indian civil service in 1878 and retired to Tasmania.
in the Division of West Devon, and he represented that constituency until November 1888. He became leader of the opposition in 1886 and after the defeat of the James Agnew
government, he was asked to form a cabinet. However, he resigned the premiership
to Philip Fysh
, and instead became Minister for Lands and Works.
In 1888, Braddon represented Tasmania on the Federal Council, the predecessor to the Constitutional Conventions
of the 1890s. After leaving parliament in 1888, Braddon was appointed Agent-General for Tasmania in London
, a position he held until September 1893.
After returning to Tasmania, Braddon was again elected the member for West Devon, and again became opposition leader. In April 1894, Braddon became Premier, and held office until 12 October 1899, the longest term of any Premier up to that date.
In 1895, Braddon published another volume of memoirs, entitled Thirty Years of Shikar.
in Tasmania. He was elected as one of the Tasmanian representatives to the Constitutional Convention
of 1897.
At the Convention, he was responsible for the so-called "Braddon Clause" (or "Braddon Blot", as it was known by its opponents). The proposed Constitution provided that the Federal Government would assume the power to levy customs
duties, an important source of revenue for the states. The Braddon Clause provided that the Commonwealth would have to return at least three quarters of all duties collected.
After fierce debate, during which George Reid
threatened to withdraw New South Wales
from the Convention, the Clause was limited in operation to ten years after Federation. The now-defunct Clause is still part of the Constitution of Australia
as Section 87, however it was superseded by the Surplus Revenue Act 1910.
At the federal election of 1901, Braddon was elected to the first Australian Parliament as one of the five members for Tasmania, which had not yet been divided into electoral divisions. He was not only the oldest member of the House of Representatives, but, at almost 72 years of age, he is still the oldest person ever elected to the House of Representatives. The city of Melbourne
, where the Parliament then met, had not been founded at the time of his birth. As a supporter of free trade
, he joined with Rt Hon Sir George Reid and became a member of the Free Trade Party
, where he would occasionally stand as Leader of the Opposition when Reid was absent. Braddon was re-elected at the federal election of 1903, as the first member for the Division of Wilmot
, but he died suddenly at his home in Tasmania in 1904 before the parliament returned from recess.
Braddon is buried at Pioneer Cemetery in Forth, Tasmania
. In February 2004, his grave was restored and a lookout constructed nearby in order to commemorate the centenary of his death.
. In 1897 he was made a member of the Privy Council
.
The Canberra
suburb of Braddon, Australian Capital Territory
was named after him in 1928.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(11 June 1829 – 2 February 1904), 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...
n politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, was the Premier of Tasmania from 1894 to 1899, and was a Member of the First Australian Parliament in the 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....
. Braddon was a Tasmanian delegate
Delegate
A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization (e.g., a government, a charity, an NGO, or a trade union) at a meeting or conference...
to the Constitutional Conventions
Constitutional Convention (Australia)
In Australian history, the term Constitutional Convention refers to four distinct gatherings.-1891 convention:The 1891 Constitutional Convention was held in Sydney in March 1891 to consider a draft Constitution for the proposed federation of the British colonies in Australia and New Zealand. There...
.
Both the suburb of Braddon
Braddon, Australian Capital Territory
Braddon is an inner north suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Located north of the Canberra CBD, Braddon contains a commercial area centred on Mort and Lonsdale streets, which run parallel to Northbourne Avenue...
in the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
and the Division of Braddon
Division of Braddon
The Division of Braddon is an Australian Electoral Division in Tasmania.The division was created in 1955 to replace the abolished Division of Darwin, and is named for Sir Edward Braddon, a Premier of Tasmania and one of Tasmania's five original federal MPs...
in Tasmania are named after him.
Early life
Braddon was born in St. KewSt. Kew
St Kew is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The principal settlements in the parish are the church town, St Kew, and nearby St Kew Highway ....
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
in 1829, the son of unsuccessful solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
Henry Braddon and his wife Fanny White. He had two sisters, one of whom, Mary Elizabeth Braddon
Mary Elizabeth Braddon
Mary Elizabeth Braddon was a British Victorian era popular novelist. She is best known for her 1862 sensation novel Lady Audley's Secret.-Life:...
, was later a famous novelist. Braddon was educated at various private schools including University College School
University College School
University College School, generally known as UCS, is an Independent school charity situated in Hampstead, north west London, England. The school was founded in 1830 by University College London and inherited many of that institution's progressive and secular views...
, and later at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
Henry and Fanny separated in 1840, due to Henry's financial failures, and in 1847, Braddon left for India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to take a job with his cousin's
Cousin
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
merchant business. He later joined the Indian civil service, rising to the position of assistant commissioner, and serving as Inspector-General of Registration and Commissioner of Excise and Stamps.
In 1857, Braddon married Amy Palmer, and together they had two sons and four daughters. One of these sons was Sir Henry Yule Braddon, who was a Rugby union player, representing New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
(the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
) and 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 was later a Commissioner (ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
) for Australia in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Daughter Alice Gertrude married Colonel Bernard Underwood Nicolay CB (see Nicolay (family)
Nicolay (family)
The Marquisal, Countal and Baronial House of Nicolay - refer to Nobility particle) is a European noble family of the Ancien Régime with its roots in the south of France at the early part of the 14th Century...
).
In 1876, Braddon married Alice Smith, who survived him.
During the Indian Mutiny
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
, Braddon fought as a volunteer on behalf of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
forces. In 1872, Braddon wrote a memoir detailing his experiences in India, entitled Life in India. He left the Indian civil service in 1878 and retired to Tasmania.
Tasmanian career
In 1879, Braddon was elected to the Tasmanian House of AssemblyTasmanian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...
in the Division of West Devon, and he represented that constituency until November 1888. He became leader of the opposition in 1886 and after the defeat of the James Agnew
James Agnew
Sir James Willson Agnew, KCMG was an Irish-born Australian politician, who was Premier of Tasmania from 1886 to 1887.-Early life:...
government, he was asked to form a cabinet. However, he resigned the premiership
Premiers of Tasmania
The Premier of Tasmania is the head of the executive government in the Australian state of Tasmania. By convention, the party or political grouping which has majority support in the House of Assembly will nominate its leader to be Premier. The nominated politician is then invited by the Governor of...
to Philip Fysh
Philip Fysh
Sir Philip Oakley Fysh, KCMG was an Australian politician, Premier of Tasmania and a member of the first federal ministry....
, and instead became Minister for Lands and Works.
In 1888, Braddon represented Tasmania on the Federal Council, the predecessor to the Constitutional Conventions
Constitutional Convention (Australia)
In Australian history, the term Constitutional Convention refers to four distinct gatherings.-1891 convention:The 1891 Constitutional Convention was held in Sydney in March 1891 to consider a draft Constitution for the proposed federation of the British colonies in Australia and New Zealand. There...
of the 1890s. After leaving parliament in 1888, Braddon was appointed Agent-General for Tasmania 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...
, a position he held until September 1893.
After returning to Tasmania, Braddon was again elected the member for West Devon, and again became opposition leader. In April 1894, Braddon became Premier, and held office until 12 October 1899, the longest term of any Premier up to that date.
In 1895, Braddon published another volume of memoirs, entitled Thirty Years of Shikar.
Federal career
Braddon was an important proponent of federationFederation of Australia
The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia formed one nation...
in Tasmania. He was elected as one of the Tasmanian representatives to the Constitutional Convention
Constitutional Convention (Australia)
In Australian history, the term Constitutional Convention refers to four distinct gatherings.-1891 convention:The 1891 Constitutional Convention was held in Sydney in March 1891 to consider a draft Constitution for the proposed federation of the British colonies in Australia and New Zealand. There...
of 1897.
At the Convention, he was responsible for the so-called "Braddon Clause" (or "Braddon Blot", as it was known by its opponents). The proposed Constitution provided that the Federal Government would assume the power to levy customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
duties, an important source of revenue for the states. The Braddon Clause provided that the Commonwealth would have to return at least three quarters of all duties collected.
After fierce debate, during which George Reid
George Reid (Australian politician)
Sir George Houstoun Reid, GCB, GCMG, KC was an Australian politician, Premier of New South Wales and the fourth Prime Minister of Australia....
threatened to withdraw 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...
from the Convention, the Clause was limited in operation to ten years after Federation. The now-defunct Clause is still part of the Constitution of Australia
Constitution of Australia
The Constitution of Australia is the supreme law under which the Australian Commonwealth Government operates. It consists of several documents. The most important is the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia...
as Section 87, however it was superseded by the Surplus Revenue Act 1910.
At the federal election of 1901, Braddon was elected to the first Australian Parliament as one of the five members for Tasmania, which had not yet been divided into electoral divisions. He was not only the oldest member of the House of Representatives, but, at almost 72 years of age, he is still the oldest person ever elected to the House of Representatives. The city of 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 the Parliament then met, had not been founded at the time of his birth. As a supporter of 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...
, he joined with Rt Hon Sir George Reid and became a member of 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...
, where he would occasionally stand as Leader of the Opposition when Reid was absent. Braddon was re-elected at the federal election of 1903, as the first member for the Division of Wilmot
Division of Wilmot
The Division of Wilmot was an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Tasmania. It was located in central Tasmania, and was named after Sir John Eardley-Wilmot, the sixth Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania...
, but he died suddenly at his home in Tasmania in 1904 before the parliament returned from recess.
Braddon is buried at Pioneer Cemetery in Forth, Tasmania
Forth, Tasmania
Forth is a small village located in northwest Tasmania on the Forth River, west of Devonport and northwest of Launceston via the Bass Highway. Forth has a population of about 368...
. In February 2004, his grave was restored and a lookout constructed nearby in order to commemorate the centenary of his death.
Honours
In 1891 Braddon was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St GeorgeOrder of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
. In 1897 he was made a member of the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
.
The Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
suburb of Braddon, Australian Capital Territory
Braddon, Australian Capital Territory
Braddon is an inner north suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Located north of the Canberra CBD, Braddon contains a commercial area centred on Mort and Lonsdale streets, which run parallel to Northbourne Avenue...
was named after him in 1928.
See also
- Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1901-1903Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1901-1903This is a list of the members of the Australian House of Representatives in the First Australian Parliament, which was elected on 29 March 1901. There were 75 members, as required by the Constitution, as near as possible to twice the number of Senators which was then 36...
- Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1903-1906Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1903-1906This is a list of the members of the Australian House of Representatives in the Second Australian Parliament, which was elected on 16 December 1903.-Notes:* These candidates were elected unopposed....