William Brownbill
Encyclopedia
William Brownbill was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
on two occasions from 1920 to 1932, then from 1935 until his death in 1938. He represented the electoral district of Geelong
for the Australian Labor Party
. Upon his death, he was succeeded as member for Geelong by his second wife, Fanny
.
Brownbill was born in Newtown
, a suburb of Geelong in 1864. His parents were William Brownbill, an English emigrant shopkeeper, and Margaret Tattersall from the Isle of Man
. Brownbill worked initially in his brother's jewellery shop, but became a baker's apprentice and by around 1895 was a master baker
. His first wife was Margaret Murray whom he married in 1887 and with whom he had three sons and a daughter. Margaret died in 1913, and in 1920 he married his housekeeper, Fanny Alford
, with whom he had a son and a daughter.
In 1896, Brownbill was elected to the Geelong City Council
, and served as Mayor of Geelong from 1914 to 1915. In 1920, he ran for election to state parliament, winning the seat of Geelong for the Labor Party. In 1932, he was defeated in the election by Edward Austin, but re-contested and regained the seat in 1935. Brownbill died in 1938, and the ensuing by-election saw his widow, Fanny Brownbill, elected as his replacement—the first woman elected to a parliamentary seat in Victoria.
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
on two occasions from 1920 to 1932, then from 1935 until his death in 1938. He represented the electoral district of Geelong
Electoral district of Geelong
The Electoral district of Geelong is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It is based around inner metropolitan Geelong and includes the suburbs of Bell Park, Drumcondra, East Geelong, Geelong, Geelong West, Newtown and South Geelong and parts of Highton, and North Geelong...
for the Australian Labor Party
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...
. Upon his death, he was succeeded as member for Geelong by his second wife, Fanny
Fanny Brownbill
Fanny Eileen Brownbill was an Australian state politician, serving as the Labor Party Member for Geelong, Victoria, serving from 1938 until her death in 1948...
.
Brownbill was born in Newtown
Newtown, Victoria
Newtown is an inner western suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. It is a primarily residential area occupying one of the highest points of urban Geelong, has always been a desirable place of residence and it is the location of many of Geelong's oldest and most valuable properties.The locality of...
, a suburb of Geelong in 1864. His parents were William Brownbill, an English emigrant shopkeeper, and Margaret Tattersall from the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. Brownbill worked initially in his brother's jewellery shop, but became a baker's apprentice and by around 1895 was a master baker
Baker
A baker is someone who bakes and sells bread, Cakes and similar foods may also be produced, as the traditional boundaries between what is produced by a baker as opposed to a pastry chef have blurred in recent decades...
. His first wife was Margaret Murray whom he married in 1887 and with whom he had three sons and a daughter. Margaret died in 1913, and in 1920 he married his housekeeper, Fanny Alford
Fanny Brownbill
Fanny Eileen Brownbill was an Australian state politician, serving as the Labor Party Member for Geelong, Victoria, serving from 1938 until her death in 1948...
, with whom he had a son and a daughter.
In 1896, Brownbill was elected to the Geelong City Council
City of Geelong
The City of Geelong was a Local Government Area located about southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1849 until 1994.-History:...
, and served as Mayor of Geelong from 1914 to 1915. In 1920, he ran for election to state parliament, winning the seat of Geelong for the Labor Party. In 1932, he was defeated in the election by Edward Austin, but re-contested and regained the seat in 1935. Brownbill died in 1938, and the ensuing by-election saw his widow, Fanny Brownbill, elected as his replacement—the first woman elected to a parliamentary seat in Victoria.