Henry Thacker
Encyclopedia
Dr Henry Thomas Joynt Thacker (20 March 1870 – 3 May 1939) was a doctor, New Zealand Member of Parliament
and Mayor of Christchurch
.
on 20 March 1870. His parents were Essy Joynt and John Edward Thacker. His father was an editor of the Sligo
Guardian and after emigration to Christchurch in 1850, launched the second newspaper in Canterbury, the Guardian and Canterbury Advertiser. The newspaper failed after only a few months.
Henry Thacker attended Boys' High School
and then Canterbury College
(what is now known as the University of Canterbury), from where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
. He then enrolled at Edinburgh University where he gained his M.B. and C.M. diplomas in 1895. Two years later he gained a fellowship in the Royal College of Surgeons
in Dublin.
in 1889 and 1891 and assisted in the development of Richard Arnst
. From 1899 he held the rank of Captain in the Army Medical Corps.
in 1913. He was the manager of the New Zealand side during their tour of Australia in 1913.
Harbour Board (1907–1922), Christchurch City Council
(1929–1931) and Mayor of Christchurch between 1919 and 1923. The 1919 mayoral election was contested by Thacker, John Joseph Dougall (mayor of Christchurch 1911–1912) and James McCombs
(MP for Lyttelton
.
Thacker contested the 1908
and 1911
general elections without success. He then contesting the Lyttelton by-election in 1913 as an independent
Liberal, coming fourth with 5% of the vote in the first ballot.
Thacker was a member of the Liberal Party
and represented the Christchurch East
electorate in the New Zealand House of Representatives
from 1914
. He was re-elected in 1919 but was defeated in 1922
by Tim Armstrong from the Labour Party
.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and Mayor of Christchurch
Mayor of Christchurch
The Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system...
.
Early life
Thacker was born in Okains Bay on Banks PeninsulaBanks Peninsula
Banks Peninsula is a peninsula of volcanic origin on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It has an area of approximately and encompasses two large harbours and many smaller bays and coves...
on 20 March 1870. His parents were Essy Joynt and John Edward Thacker. His father was an editor of the Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
Guardian and after emigration to Christchurch in 1850, launched the second newspaper in Canterbury, the Guardian and Canterbury Advertiser. The newspaper failed after only a few months.
Henry Thacker attended Boys' High School
Christchurch Boys' High School
Christchurch Boys' High School is a single sex state secondary school in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is situated on a 12 hectare site between the suburbs of Riccarton and Fendalton, 4 kilometres to the west of central Christchurch. The school also provides boarding facilities for 130 boys, in a...
and then Canterbury College
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
(what is now known as the University of Canterbury), from where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
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...
. He then enrolled at Edinburgh University where he gained his M.B. and C.M. diplomas in 1895. Two years later he gained a fellowship in the Royal College of Surgeons
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland , is a Dublin-based medical institution, situated on St. Stephen's Green. The college is one of the five Recognised Colleges of the National University of Ireland...
in Dublin.
Return to New Zealand
Thacker returned to Christchurch in 1898 and opened a practice in Latimer Square. He represented Canterbury in rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
in 1889 and 1891 and assisted in the development of Richard Arnst
Richard Arnst
Richard Arnst or Dick Arnst , born Jacob Diedrich Arnst, was a New Zealand rower, six times Single Sculls World Champion during the early part of the 20th century.-Early life:...
. From 1899 he held the rank of Captain in the Army Medical Corps.
Rugby league
Thacker was the first president of the Canterbury Rugby Football League when the organisation began holding competitions in 1913. He served in this position from 1912 until 1929 and became a life member in 1920. Thacker also donated the Thacker ShieldThacker Shield
The Thacker Shield is a rugby league football trophy awarded on an annual basis to the winner of a match between the champion clubs of the Canterbury Rugby League and West Coast Rugby League.-History:...
in 1913. He was the manager of the New Zealand side during their tour of Australia in 1913.
Political career
Thacker was a member of the Christchurch Hospital Board (1907–1922), LytteltonLyttelton, New Zealand
Lyttelton is a port town on the north shore of Lyttelton Harbour close to Banks Peninsula, a suburb of Christchurch on the eastern coast of the South Island of New Zealand....
Harbour Board (1907–1922), Christchurch City Council
Christchurch City Council
The Christchurch City Council is the local government authority for Christchurch in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority elected to represent the people of Christchurch. Since 2007, the Mayor of Christchurch is Bob Parker, who stood as an independent candidate...
(1929–1931) and Mayor of Christchurch between 1919 and 1923. The 1919 mayoral election was contested by Thacker, John Joseph Dougall (mayor of Christchurch 1911–1912) and James McCombs
James McCombs
James McCombs was a New Zealand Member of Parliament for Lyttelton.-Early years:McCombs was born in County Leitrim, Ireland and came to New Zealand with his parents in 1876 as a three year old. He was educated at Sydenham School and Christchurch East School...
(MP for Lyttelton
Lyttelton (New Zealand electorate)
Lyttelton is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate. It existed from 1853–90, and again from 1893–1996, when it was replaced by the Banks Peninsula electorate.-Population Centres:...
.
Thacker contested the 1908
New Zealand general election, 1908
The New Zealand general election of 1908 was held on Tuesday, 17 November, 24 November and 1 December in the general electorates, and on Wednesday, 2 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 17th session of the New Zealand Parliament...
and 1911
New Zealand general election, 1911
The New Zealand general election of 1911 was held on Thursday, 7 and 14 December in the general electorates, and on Tuesday, 19 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 18th session of the New Zealand Parliament...
general elections without success. He then contesting the Lyttelton by-election in 1913 as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
Liberal, coming fourth with 5% of the vote in the first ballot.
Thacker was a member of the Liberal Party
New Zealand Liberal Party
The New Zealand Liberal Party is generally regarded as having been the first real political party in New Zealand. It governed from 1891 until 1912. Out of office, the Liberals gradually found themselves pressed between the conservative Reform Party and the growing Labour Party...
and represented the Christchurch East
Christchurch East
Christchurch East is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate. It is currently held by Lianne Dalziel of the Labour Party.-History:The electorate was first created, as Christchurch City East, for the...
electorate in the New Zealand House of Representatives
New Zealand House of Representatives
The New Zealand House of Representatives is the sole chamber of the legislature of New Zealand. The House and the Queen of New Zealand form the New Zealand Parliament....
from 1914
New Zealand general election, 1914
The New Zealand general election of 1914 was held on 10 December to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 19th session of the New Zealand Parliament. A total number of 616,043 voters were registered, of which 84.7% voters turned out to vote....
. He was re-elected in 1919 but was defeated in 1922
New Zealand general election, 1922
The New Zealand general election of 1922 was held on Monday, 6 December in the Māori electorates, and on Tuesday, 7 December in the general electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 21st session of the New Zealand Parliament...
by Tim Armstrong from the Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
.