William Sawers
Encyclopedia
William Bowie Stewart Campbell Sawers (1844 – 19 May 1916) was a Scottish
-born Australia
n politician. Born in Stirlingshire
in Scotland
, where he was educated, he migrated to Australia in 1865, becoming a grazier with large holdings. In 1885 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
as the member for Bourke
, holding the seat until 1886; later, in 1898, he was elected to the seat of Tamworth
. In 1901 he resigned from the Legislative Assembly in order to contest the first federal election as the Protectionist
candidate for New England
; he won narrowly. He was defeated in 1903 by a Free Trade
candidate. Sawers died in 1916.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
-born Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. Born in Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling is a registration county of Scotland, based around Stirling, the former county town. It borders Perthshire to the north, Clackmannanshire and West Lothian to the east, Lanarkshire to the south, and Dunbartonshire to the south-west.Until 1975 it was a county...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, where he was educated, he migrated to Australia in 1865, becoming a grazier with large holdings. In 1885 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
as the member for Bourke
Electoral district of Bourke
Bourke was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1880 to 1904, including the town of Bourke. It elected two members simultaneously between 1882 and 1894, with voters casting two votes and the first two candidates being elected.-Members...
, holding the seat until 1886; later, in 1898, he was elected to the seat of Tamworth
Electoral district of Tamworth
Tamworth is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Kevin Anderson of the National Party of Australia...
. In 1901 he resigned from the Legislative Assembly in order to contest the first federal election as the Protectionist
Protectionist Party
The Protectionist Party was an Australian political party, formally organised from 1889 until 1909, with policies centred on protectionism. It argued that Australia needed protective tariffs to allow Australian industry to grow and provide employment. It had its greatest strength in Victoria and in...
candidate for New England
Division of New England
The Division of New England is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It is located in the north-east of the state, adjoining the border with Queensland. It includes such towns as Armidale, Ashford, Barraba, Bingara, Bundarra, Glen Innes, Gunnedah, Guyra, Inverell,...
; he won narrowly. He was defeated in 1903 by a Free Trade
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...
candidate. Sawers died in 1916.