Henry Osborn (politician)
Encyclopedia
Henry Osborn was an Australian politician, and a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
from 1908 until 1911 representing the seat of Roebourne
, as well as the mayor of two different municipalities in Western Australia
.
region where he worked at first as a labourer, then as a blacksmith and wheelwright in the town of Roebourne
, as well as working as an undertaker. On 23 May 1888, he married Ada Cave at the Cossack
Church, but she died only nine months later. Osborn then became a carrier of gold between the Pilbara goldfields and Roebourne, but later returned to Roebourne where, by 1893, he had taken up employment as the publican at the Jubilee Hotel with his sister Rose. On 19 December 1894, he married Elizabeth Thompson at Roebourne, with whom he was to have two sons and one daughter. The following year, he was elected mayor of the Roebourne Municipal Council, in which capacity he served for two years.
In 1900, he moved to Midland Junction
and became a partner in an aerated waters firm. He was elected mayor of the Midland Junction Municipal Council in 1907, a position he would hold for five years, and at the September 1908 state election, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term as the Ministerial member for Roebourne
. At the October 1911 state election
, he was defeated by a Labor
candidate.
In 1910, following Minister for Lands James Mitchell
's call for men to take up land and populate the interior, Osborn and his brother acquired land in Bruce Rock
in the Eastern Wheatbelt region, where he farmed for the rest of his life. He became involved in the Bruce Rock Co-operative Society, and was its inaugural chairman from 1917 until his death.
Osborn died on 22 July 1937 at Bruce Rock, where he was buried.
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
from 1908 until 1911 representing the seat of Roebourne
Electoral district of Roebourne
The Electoral district of Roebourne was a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Western Australia. It was named for the town of Roebourne and was created in 1890, being one of the original 30 seats contested at the 1890 state election....
, as well as the mayor of two different municipalities in 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...
.
Biography
Osborn was born in the Victoria Plains region to William Osborn, a blacksmith, and Sarah née Newsom. He was educated locally, and in 1884, moved to the North WestNorth West Australia
The terms North West Australia, The North West and North Western Australia have been used as a regular label for the region of the North of Western Australia and the West of the Northern Territory.- Early 20th century gold rush:...
region where he worked at first as a labourer, then as a blacksmith and wheelwright in the town of Roebourne
Roebourne, Western Australia
Roebourne is an old gold rush town in Western Australia's Pilbara region. It is 202 km from Port Hedland and 1,563 km from Perth, the state's capital. It prospered during its gold boom of the late 19th century and was once the biggest settlement between Darwin and Perth...
, as well as working as an undertaker. On 23 May 1888, he married Ada Cave at the Cossack
Cossack, Western Australia
Cossack is an historic ghost town located 1,480 km north of Perth and 15 km from Roebourne in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The nearest town to Cossack is Wickham. At the 2006 census, Cossack had a population of 236....
Church, but she died only nine months later. Osborn then became a carrier of gold between the Pilbara goldfields and Roebourne, but later returned to Roebourne where, by 1893, he had taken up employment as the publican at the Jubilee Hotel with his sister Rose. On 19 December 1894, he married Elizabeth Thompson at Roebourne, with whom he was to have two sons and one daughter. The following year, he was elected mayor of the Roebourne Municipal Council, in which capacity he served for two years.
In 1900, he moved to Midland Junction
Midland, Western Australia
Midland is a suburb in the Perth, Western Australia metropolitan area, as well as the regional centre for the City of Swan local government area that covers the Swan Valley and parts of the Darling Scarp to the east. It is situated at the intersection of Great Eastern Highway and Great Northern...
and became a partner in an aerated waters firm. He was elected mayor of the Midland Junction Municipal Council in 1907, a position he would hold for five years, and at the September 1908 state election, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term as the Ministerial member for Roebourne
Electoral district of Roebourne
The Electoral district of Roebourne was a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Western Australia. It was named for the town of Roebourne and was created in 1890, being one of the original 30 seats contested at the 1890 state election....
. At the October 1911 state election
Western Australian state election, 1911
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 3 October 1911 to elect 50 members to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. The Labor party, led by Opposition Leader John Scaddan, defeated the conservative Ministerialist government led by Premier Frank Wilson...
, he was defeated by a Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
candidate.
In 1910, following Minister for Lands James Mitchell
James Mitchell (Australian politician)
Sir James Mitchell GCMG was the 13th Premier of Western Australia, serving on two occasions, the Lieutenant-Governor of Western Australia for 15 years and the 22nd Governor of Western Australia....
's call for men to take up land and populate the interior, Osborn and his brother acquired land in Bruce Rock
Bruce Rock, Western Australia
Bruce Rock is a town located in the Eastern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, approximately east of Perth and southwest of Merredin. It is the main town in the Shire of Bruce Rock....
in the Eastern Wheatbelt region, where he farmed for the rest of his life. He became involved in the Bruce Rock Co-operative Society, and was its inaugural chairman from 1917 until his death.
Osborn died on 22 July 1937 at Bruce Rock, where he was buried.