Edward Harney
Encyclopedia
Edward Augustine St Aubyn Harney (31 August 1865 – 17 May 1929) was an Irish lawyer who sat in both the Australian Senate
and the British House of Commons, and who also had a political and legal career in Australia. He had the distinction of being called to the Bar in Ireland, Australia and England
whose family home was County Waterford
. He was educated at St. Vincent’s College
, Castleknock
. He was called to the Irish Bar in 1892. Soon after he emigrated to Australia and was called to the Bar there in 1897. In 1905 he was made a King's Counsel
(KC) in Australia. He returned to England and was then called to the Bar by Gray’s Inn in 1906, taking silk (that is becoming a KC in England) in 1920. In 1898 he married Clarissa Crewdson Benington, the daughter of a medical doctor from Newcastle upon Tyne
. This marriage was dissolved in 1923 and Harney was remarried in 1927 to Kathleen Anderson from South Shields
. They had a son Desmond who was born on 14 February 1929, just before his father’s death. He went on to join the Diplomatic Service and was a Conservative
councillor in Chelsea.
as a Free Trader
sitting until the experation the three-year term to which he had been elected.
Harney stood as the Liberal Party
candidate at the 1922 general election
in South Shields
. The sitting MP was Havelock Wilson who had had a chequered political career having been elected as an Independent Labour candidate and then aligning himself with the Lib-Labs
before becoming a founder member of the National Democratic Party and later getting back into Parliament in 1918
as a Coalition Liberal – that is a supporter of the Liberal-Conservative coalition government led by David Lloyd George
. In a three cornered contest with Havelock Wilson standing as a National Liberal
and a Labour
candidate, Harney scraped home by just 25 votes over Labour with Havelock Wilson bottom of the poll.
In the general election of 1923
and again in 1924
, Harney held his seat, this time in straight fights with Labour but with majorities of 7,195 and 6,319. Harney died just before the 1929 general election
so no by-election was needed but this time Labour candidate James Chuter Ede
gained the seat.
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
and the British House of Commons, and who also had a political and legal career in Australia. He had the distinction of being called to the Bar in Ireland, Australia and England
Private life and the law
Harney, a Roman Catholic, was born in Dublin, the fifth son of Richard Harney JPJustice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
whose family home was County Waterford
County Waterford
*Abbeyside, Affane, Aglish, Annestown, An Rinn, Ardmore*Ballinacourty, Ballinameela, Ballinamult, Ballinroad, Ballybeg, Ballybricken, Ballyduff Lower, Ballyduff Upper, Ballydurn, Ballygunner, Ballylaneen, Ballymacarbry, Ballymacart, Ballynaneashagh, Ballysaggart, Ballytruckle, Bilberry, Bunmahon,...
. He was educated at St. Vincent’s College
Castleknock College
Castleknock College is a private , secondary school for boys aged between 13 and 18, which is situated in the residential suburb of Castleknock, 8 km west of the city centre in Dublin, Ireland.-History:...
, Castleknock
Castleknock
Castleknock is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is in the west of the modern administrative county of Fingal within the traditional county of Dublin. It is located west of the centre of Dublin....
. He was called to the Irish Bar in 1892. Soon after he emigrated to Australia and was called to the Bar there in 1897. In 1905 he was made a King's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(KC) in Australia. He returned to England and was then called to the Bar by Gray’s Inn in 1906, taking silk (that is becoming a KC in England) in 1920. In 1898 he married Clarissa Crewdson Benington, the daughter of a medical doctor from Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
. This marriage was dissolved in 1923 and Harney was remarried in 1927 to Kathleen Anderson from South Shields
South Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
. They had a son Desmond who was born on 14 February 1929, just before his father’s death. He went on to join the Diplomatic Service and was a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
councillor in Chelsea.
Politics
In 1901 he was elected a member of the first Senate of Australia from Western AustraliaWestern 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...
as a Free Trader
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...
sitting until the experation the three-year term to which he had been elected.
Harney stood as the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
candidate at the 1922 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
in South Shields
South Shields (UK Parliament constituency)
South Shields is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
. The sitting MP was Havelock Wilson who had had a chequered political career having been elected as an Independent Labour candidate and then aligning himself with the Lib-Labs
Liberal-Labour (UK)
The Liberal–Labour movement refers to the practice of local Liberal associations accepting and supporting candidates who were financially maintained by trade unions...
before becoming a founder member of the National Democratic Party and later getting back into Parliament in 1918
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
as a Coalition Liberal – that is a supporter of the Liberal-Conservative coalition government led by David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
. In a three cornered contest with Havelock Wilson standing as a National Liberal
National Liberal Party (UK, 1922)
The National Liberal Party was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1922 to 1923. It was led by David Lloyd George and was, at the time, separate to the original Liberal Party.-History:...
and a Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
candidate, Harney scraped home by just 25 votes over Labour with Havelock Wilson bottom of the poll.
In the general election of 1923
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
and again in 1924
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
, Harney held his seat, this time in straight fights with Labour but with majorities of 7,195 and 6,319. Harney died just before the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
so no by-election was needed but this time Labour candidate James Chuter Ede
James Chuter Ede
James Chuter Ede, Baron Chuter-Ede CH, PC, DL was a British teacher, trade unionist and Labour politician. He notably served as Home Secretary under Clement Attlee from 1945 to 1951.-Early life:...
gained the seat.