George Charles Hawker

George Charles Hawker, 1865

George Charles Hawker (21 September 1818 – 21 May 1895) was an Australian settler and South Australian politician.

Early life

Hawker was born in London, the second son of Admiral Edward Hawker and his first wife, Joanna Naomi, née Poore. He was educated partly on the continent, and he entered Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1836 (B.A.1841, M.A. 1854).^[1][2]

Career in Australia

Together with his brother Charles, Hawker went to South Australia in 1840 travelling aboard the Lysander. He had some capital to start with, and after trying two sites which were found to have insufficient water, established a sheep station some distance to the north of Adelaide (north of the Clare Valley), afterwards known as Bungaree. He had two brothers with him at first and all three soon adapted themselves to pioneer conditions; some of the early station buildings in fact were put up with their own hands. In 1841 they were members of a party of 10 that went out to reclaim a large number of sheep that had fallen into the hands of the aborigines. The aborigines heavily outnumbered them and they were fortunate in escaping with the loss of one horse with one member of their party wounded. Hawker eventually bought out his brothers and extended his land until he had some 80,000 acres (32,000 ha). Much attention was paid to the breeding of his sheep, and his wool gained a high reputation.^[3]

In 1851 Hawker was a candidate for Stanley in the South Australian Legislative Council, but was defeated.^[2] In January 1858 Hawker entered the South Australian House of Assembly as member for the district of Victoria, and in April 1860, though a comparatively young man and opposed by Boyle Travers Finniss and Francis Stacker Dutton, was elected speaker. He was successful in this position carrying out its duties with tact and dignity, and showing a good knowledge of parliamentary practice. He retired from parliament in 1865, went to England with his family, and did not return until 1874. He again entered parliament and, except for a few months, was a member until his death. He was twice asked to form a ministry and declined on each occasion, but several times held office. He was treasurer in the third Arthur Blyth ministry for a few days in 1875, and chief secretary in the second James Penn Boucaut ministry from March to June 1876. He was commissioner of public works in the third Boucaut ministry from October 1877 to September 1878, and held the same position in the William Morgan ministry until June 1881. In 1889 he visited India to inquire into the irrigation question, and on his return wrote a series of articles on this subject which appeared in the South Australian Register. He died on 21 May 1895 in Medindie; if he had lived a few days longer he would have been created K.C.M.G.; his widow's appeal for a posthumous award was approved by the Queen in September 1895, and she was known as Lady Hawker until her death.

Hawker held a leading position as a citizen of South Australia. Wealthy, and a good employer, he was much interested in the every day life of the colony, a follower of cricket, racing, and coursing, a supporter of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society (and its president from 1863 to 1864 and 1889 to 1890), and the Zoological Society. He was much respected in parliament through his long career of 26 years. In his earlier days Hawker was an excellent speaker who sometimes rose to eloquence, as an old man he contented himself with short speeches, which were, however, much to the point. He showed distinct administrative ability during his term as commissioner of public works.^[3]

Family

On 16 December 1845, George married Elizabeth,^[4] daughter of Henry Seymour, pastoralist at Naracoorte. Known as Bessie, her younger sister Jane married in 1856 to pastoralist and politician William Spence Peter. Having survived her husband, Bessie was granted the rank of the widow of a knight. Lady Hawker died in June 1901.^[5] They had six sons and six daughters.^[3]

• Edward William Hawker (1850–1940), was MHA for Stanley 1884–1999 and 1893–1896.

• George Stanley Hawker M.C. (7 May 1894 – 17 February 1979) was MHA for Burra 1947–1956

• Michael Seymour Hawker (1857 – 1 August 1933) was born in South Australia and educated at Stubbington School and in Germany. On his father's death he managed Bungaree station. In 1906 the brothers dissolved their partnership and divided the property, Michael's portion being North Bungaree, near Spalding, where he successfully bred Merino sheep. He also had interests in Partacoona station, north of Quorn, McCoy's Well station, near Nackara, Mount Victor Station, near Yunta and others in Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales. He married Elizabeth Begg McFarlane, daughter of Allan McFarlane jun. of Wellington Lodge, Lake Alexandrina, on 9 June 1891 and ten years later built an extensive residence in Aldgate,^[6] later St. Joseph's convent, subsequently a private residence.

• A grandson, Charles Allan Seymour Hawker (1894–1938), was a South Australian member of the Commonwealth House of Representatives from 1929 to 1938 and a member of the Lyons government.^[3]

• Mary Blanche Hawker (1858 – 10 December 1945), married ophthalmologist Charles Gosse MD (ca.1849 – 1 July 1885), brother of the explorer William Gosse, on 11 May 1880. She left Australia after the accidental death of her husband and died at East Preston, Sussex.^[7]
• Walter Hawker (ca.1861 – 30 October 1951) earned an M.D. at London University but never practised medicine, but founded the Amana stud near Clare where he bred merino sheep and Friesian cattle. He had a residence "Derrymor" at Glenside Road Crafers.

• Trevor Hawker, of Western Australia
• John Hawker, of Amana stud
• Mrs. R. M. Gault of Medindie
• Doris Philippa Hawker married Gordon Howard McFarlane on 19 April 1911.^[8]

• Bertram Robert Hawker (29 March 1868–1952) Anglican clergyman, educationist and benefactor, was born at Llandudno, Carnarvonshire, Wales, youngest of sixteen children of George Charles Hawker.^[9] At St Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide, on 23 July 1896 Hawker married Constance Victoria, daughter of Sir Thomas Buxton, the Governor of South Australia.

His brother James Collins Hawker (ca.1821–1901) was to become Comptroller of Customs at Port Adelaide and married Louisa, daughter of Captain Lipson. Their daughter Elizabeth married land agent John James Neville Blyth, son of Arthur Blyth.

References

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