Edward Hamersley (Snr)
Encyclopedia
Edward Hamersley was an early settler in colonial
Western Australia
. He became a successful and wealthy pastoralist
, and a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council
. The Hamersley family
became one of the most prominent families in the colony.
Edward Hamersley was born at Sandgate
, Kent
on 25 March 1810. He was educated at Pembroke College, Cambridge
, graduating B.A.
in 1833. He then spent a number of years touring throughout Europe
, during which time he married Anne Louise Cornelis in Paris
. Hamersley's first son Edward
was born in Paris in 1836.
Around 1836, Hamersley decided to emigrate to Western Australia
, largely on the basis of optimistic letters received from his sister Frances, who had emigrated to Western Australia with her husband William Locke Brockman
in 1830. Hamersley sailed with his wife and son, arriving at Fremantle
in February 1837.
On arriving in Western Australia, Hamersley found many of the original settlers to be financially struggling, and he was able to obtain a number of large grants of land extremely cheaply. He then leased the land out, ensuring himself an income and allowing him to live in relative comfort in Perth
. Economic conditions improved in the late 1830s, and Hamersley's large land holdings brought him substantial wealth. In 1839, Hamersley became a partner in a horse breeding
business with Samuel Pole Phillips, who had recently arrived in the colony, and in 1841 he became a director of the Western Australian Bank. However late in 1842 the bottom dropped out of the wool
market, and many settlers were ruined. Hamersley's losses were minor, but the colony overall was struggling, and he preferred not to remain there. He appointed an agent to manage his affairs in the colony, and in January 1843 the Hamersley family set sail for France. They would live there for the next six years.
In January 1850, Hamersley returned to Western Australia to secure the titles to some of his land. On arriving in the colony, he learned that his agent had died a few months before, leaving his affairs in a confused state. Hamersley spent some time sorting out his estate, then launched into a new horse breeding venture. He became a leading horse-breeder and was a foundation member of the Western Australian Turf Club when it formed in 1852. In 1851, Hamersley partnered with Phillips, Lockier Burges and Bart Vigors to form a cattle
company. Each man applied for leases on the Irwin River in the newly opened Champion Bay district, thus securing for the company a virtual monopoly of land in the area. The company was well managed by Phillips, and big profits were made in the first few years. Hamersley continued investing his profits in various town and farm properties, with a view to securing the future of his many children. This diversification protected him somewhat when profits from the cattle company fell away in the early 1860s. Phillips, who had not diversified, suffered great financial losses during this time, and a rift developed between the two men when Hamersley refused to increase Phillips book-keeping allowance.
In June 1857, Hamersley and Phillips were both nominated to the Legislative Council
. Initially they sided together, successfully fighting a proposal that Western Australia accept female convict
s. Later they opposed one another over the issue of representative government which Hamersley favoured, and this added to the ill feeling between the two. When the governor
rejected a petition calling for election
s, Hamersley resigned from the Council in protest.
The cattle company was dissolved at the end of 1867, primarily because of the rift between Hamersley and Phillips. In 1870 Hamersley retired to Perth, dying there on 26 November 1874.
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
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...
. He became a successful and wealthy pastoralist
Pastoralism
Pastoralism or pastoral farming is the branch of agriculture concerned with the raising of livestock. It is animal husbandry: the care, tending and use of animals such as camels, goats, cattle, yaks, llamas, and sheep. It may have a mobile aspect, moving the herds in search of fresh pasture and...
, and a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
. The Hamersley family
Hamersley family
The Hamersley family were a wealthy and well-connected family of early settlers in the colony of Western Australia. Members of the Hamersley family emigrated to Western Australia from England in 1837.Prominent members and connections of the family include:...
became one of the most prominent families in the colony.
Edward Hamersley was born at Sandgate
Sandgate, Kent
Sandgate is a village in the Folkestone and Hythe Urban Area in the Shepway district of Kent, England. In 2004, the village re-acquired civil parish status....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
on 25 March 1810. He was educated at Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
, graduating B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1833. He then spent a number of years touring throughout Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, during which time he married Anne Louise Cornelis in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Hamersley's first son Edward
Edward Hamersley (Jnr)
Edward Hamersley was a Western Australian pastoralist, and a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council for nearly ten years....
was born in Paris in 1836.
Around 1836, Hamersley decided to emigrate 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...
, largely on the basis of optimistic letters received from his sister Frances, who had emigrated to Western Australia with her husband William Locke Brockman
William Locke Brockman
William Locke Brockman was an early settler in Western Australia, who became a leading pastoralist and stock breeder, and a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council....
in 1830. Hamersley sailed with his wife and son, arriving at Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
in February 1837.
On arriving in Western Australia, Hamersley found many of the original settlers to be financially struggling, and he was able to obtain a number of large grants of land extremely cheaply. He then leased the land out, ensuring himself an income and allowing him to live in relative comfort in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. Economic conditions improved in the late 1830s, and Hamersley's large land holdings brought him substantial wealth. In 1839, Hamersley became a partner in a horse breeding
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
business with Samuel Pole Phillips, who had recently arrived in the colony, and in 1841 he became a director of the Western Australian Bank. However late in 1842 the bottom dropped out of the wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
market, and many settlers were ruined. Hamersley's losses were minor, but the colony overall was struggling, and he preferred not to remain there. He appointed an agent to manage his affairs in the colony, and in January 1843 the Hamersley family set sail for France. They would live there for the next six years.
In January 1850, Hamersley returned to Western Australia to secure the titles to some of his land. On arriving in the colony, he learned that his agent had died a few months before, leaving his affairs in a confused state. Hamersley spent some time sorting out his estate, then launched into a new horse breeding venture. He became a leading horse-breeder and was a foundation member of the Western Australian Turf Club when it formed in 1852. In 1851, Hamersley partnered with Phillips, Lockier Burges and Bart Vigors to form a cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
company. Each man applied for leases on the Irwin River in the newly opened Champion Bay district, thus securing for the company a virtual monopoly of land in the area. The company was well managed by Phillips, and big profits were made in the first few years. Hamersley continued investing his profits in various town and farm properties, with a view to securing the future of his many children. This diversification protected him somewhat when profits from the cattle company fell away in the early 1860s. Phillips, who had not diversified, suffered great financial losses during this time, and a rift developed between the two men when Hamersley refused to increase Phillips book-keeping allowance.
In June 1857, Hamersley and Phillips were both nominated to the Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
. Initially they sided together, successfully fighting a proposal that Western Australia accept female convict
Convict
A convict is "a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison", sometimes referred to in slang as simply a "con". Convicts are often called prisoners or inmates. Persons convicted and sentenced to non-custodial sentences often are not termed...
s. Later they opposed one another over the issue of representative government which Hamersley favoured, and this added to the ill feeling between the two. When the governor
Governor of Western Australia
The Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia's Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The Governor performs important constitutional, ceremonial and community functions, including:* presiding over the Executive Council;...
rejected a petition calling for election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
s, Hamersley resigned from the Council in protest.
The cattle company was dissolved at the end of 1867, primarily because of the rift between Hamersley and Phillips. In 1870 Hamersley retired to Perth, dying there on 26 November 1874.