William Champ
Encyclopedia
William Thomas Napier Champ (15 April 1808 – 25 August 1892) was a soldier and politician who became the first Premier of Tasmania.
, Essex
, England
the son of Captain Thomas Champ and his wife Mary Anne née Blackaller. Champ was educated at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
. He joined the army as an ensign
when 18 years old and later became an adjutant
.
as an ensign by 1826 and was posted with them to Sydney
, New South Wales
in October 1828. Some of the regiment was detached as a garrison force for the Macquarie Harbour Penal Station
, Van Diemens Land (now Tasmania
) in 1829, and Champ was amongst them.
As a lieutenant with the 63rd, he took part in the Black War
campaign which was an attempt to segregate Tasmanian Aborigines
near the end of 1830.
The 63rd left New South Wales
and Van Diemens Land in 1834 to deploy to India
and Burma and Champ left with the regiment. However, he had apparently enjoyed his time in Australia and later in 1834 he resigned his army commission and returned to Van Diemens Land to enter the civil service. Champ then became an assistant police magistrate, before being appointed as the commandant of Port Arthur
penetentiary (succeeding Captain Booth) in 1844.
In the 1850s, the British parliament passed legislation that would give Tasmania
a responsible 'independent' government. This created the Tasmanian House of Assembly
. The first elections for the Tasmanian House of Assembly took place in 1856. Prior to this Champ was a member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council
chosen by the Governor from 1852 until 1856. He was elected as the member for Launceston
in the new Tasmanian House of Assembly and became Premier in the first responsible government.
Champ held office of premier from 1 November 1856 until 26 February 1857. Shortly into his term, his ministry collapsed and he was unable to govern. He was briefly opposition leader in 1857 but resigned shortly after. Leaving Tasmania
, he became inspector-general of penal establishments in Victoria
. He later entered politics in Victoria, being a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
from 1871 until 1873. He died in Melbourne
, Victoria
on 25 August 1892.
Early life
Champ was born in MaldonMaldon, Essex
Maldon is a town on the Blackwater estuary in Essex, England. It is the seat of the Maldon district and starting point of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation.Maldon is twinned with the Dutch town of Cuijk...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
the son of Captain Thomas Champ and his wife Mary Anne née Blackaller. Champ was educated at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
. He joined the army as an ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
when 18 years old and later became an adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
.
Army and police career
Champ was serving with the 63rd Regiment of Foot63rd Regiment of Foot
The 63rd Regiment of Foot known as "The Bloodsuckers", was a British Army regiment in the 18th and 19th centuries.As part of the Childers Reforms, the 63rd and the 96th Regiments of Foot amalgamated in 1881 to form The Manchester Regiment the heritage continuing through to The King's Regiment in...
as an ensign by 1826 and was posted with them to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
in October 1828. Some of the regiment was detached as a garrison force for the Macquarie Harbour Penal Station
Macquarie Harbour Penal Station
The Macquarie Harbour Penal Station was a notorious British penal settlement established on Sarah Island in the southern portion of Macquarie Harbour in what was Van Diemen's Land in , Australia....
, Van Diemens Land (now Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
) in 1829, and Champ was amongst them.
As a lieutenant with the 63rd, he took part in the Black War
Black War
The Black War is a term used to describe a period of conflict between British colonists and Tasmanian Aborigines in the early nineteenth century...
campaign which was an attempt to segregate Tasmanian Aborigines
Tasmanian Aborigines
The Tasmanian Aborigines were the indigenous people of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Before British colonisation in 1803, there were an estimated 3,000–15,000 Parlevar. A number of historians point to introduced disease as the major cause of the destruction of the full-blooded...
near the end of 1830.
The 63rd left New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and Van Diemens Land in 1834 to deploy to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Burma and Champ left with the regiment. However, he had apparently enjoyed his time in Australia and later in 1834 he resigned his army commission and returned to Van Diemens Land to enter the civil service. Champ then became an assistant police magistrate, before being appointed as the commandant of Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Tasmania
Port Arthur is a small town and former convict settlement on the Tasman Peninsula, in Tasmania, Australia. Port Arthur is one of Australia's most significant heritage areas and the open air museum is officially Tasmania's top tourist attraction. It is located approximately 60 km south east of...
penetentiary (succeeding Captain Booth) in 1844.
Political career
In 1852 Champ became a colonial secretary to Governor Denison.In the 1850s, the British parliament passed legislation that would give Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
a responsible 'independent' government. This created the Tasmanian House of Assembly
Tasmanian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...
. The first elections for the Tasmanian House of Assembly took place in 1856. Prior to this Champ was a member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council
Tasmanian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the House of Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Hobart...
chosen by the Governor from 1852 until 1856. He was elected as the member for Launceston
Electoral district of Launceston
The Electoral district of Launceston was a multi-member electoral district of the Tasmanian House of Assembly. It was based in Tasmania's second city, Launceston, and the surrounding rural area....
in the new Tasmanian House of Assembly and became Premier in the first responsible government.
Champ held office of premier from 1 November 1856 until 26 February 1857. Shortly into his term, his ministry collapsed and he was unable to govern. He was briefly opposition leader in 1857 but resigned shortly after. Leaving Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, he became inspector-general of penal establishments in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. He later entered politics in Victoria, being a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
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:...
from 1871 until 1873. He died in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
on 25 August 1892.