Members of the Queensland Legislative Council, 1917–1922

This is a list of members of the Queensland Legislative Council from 1 January 1917 to the Council's abolition on 23 March 1922. Appointments, made by the Governor of Queensland, were for life, although many members for one reason or another resigned.

Background

The Legislative Council had become a "thorn in the side" of the Labor government, led by T. J. Ryan and in power since the 1915 election, having rejected or drastically amended over 800 bills between 1915 and 1918. Having failed at a referendum on 5 May 1917 to abolish the council, Labor opted for a new strategy – to stack the Legislative Council with Labor appointees who would then vote themselves out of existence.

In July 1917, the Governor, Sir Hamilton Goold-Adams, agreed reluctantly to Ryan's request to appoint 13 members to the Legislative Council. All of the new members had to sign a pledge supporting the abolition of the Council, and were sworn in on 10–12 October 1917. Another three were added to their number on 18 August 1919, and 14 on 19 February 1920 under new Premier Ted Theodore.

Following the death of Labor president of the Council William Hamilton on 27 July 1920, William Lennon, the Speaker of the Assembly was appointed a member and President. By this time, there were 57 members of the Council, 30 of whom were Labor members who had been appointed since the 1917 referendum, and four additional members were pre-existing Labor appointees.

Following a 51-15 vote in the Assembly in favour of the Constitution Act Amendment Bill 1921, Alfred Jones, the leader of the Government in the Council, commented on 26 October: "Today, we advocate the abolition of the Council because of its uselessness. [...] Until we had a majority here, it was obstructive, and now that we have a majority here it is useless". The bill passed by 28-10, and the Council met for the last time on 27 October 1921. The Council formally ceased to exist on 23 March 1922 after the Bill received royal assent on 3 March.

Office bearers

President of the Legislative Council:

Chairman of Committees:

Members

Members shaded red were Labor Party members of the Council.

Name Date appointed Date left Reason for leaving
Randolph Bedford[1] October 12, 1917 March 23, 1922
Thomas Beirne July 27, 1905 March 23, 1922
Frederic Brentnall April 17, 1886 March 23, 1922
Charles Campbell July 3, 1914 March 18, 1919 Death
William Henry Campbell July 12, 1906 June 17, 1919 Death
Robert Carroll February 19, 1920 March 23, 1922
Arthur Carter July 15, 1901 November 6, 1917 Death
William Colborne February 19, 1920 March 23, 1922
Joe Collings February 19, 1920 March 23, 1922
Frederick Courtice October 12, 1917 March 23, 1922
James Cowlishaw April 18, 1878 March 15, 1922
Walter Russell Crampton October 10, 1917 March 23, 1922
George Curtis July 3, 1914 March 23, 1922
Alfred Davey July 12, 1906 March 23, 1922
William Demaine October 10, 1917 March 23, 1922
Jeremiah Donovan February 19, 1920 March 23, 1922
Timothy Donovan February 19, 1920 March 23, 1922
Andrew Dunn July 3, 1914 March 23, 1922
William Dunstan [2] February 19, 1920 March 23, 1922
Bartley Fahey May 5, 1904 August 9, 1920 Death
William Finlayson February 19, 1920 March 23, 1922
Edwin Fowles July 1, 1912 March 23, 1922
Angus Gibson April 6, 1899 May 28, 1920 Death
George Wilkie Gray August 23, 1894 March 22, 1922
Henry Littleton Groom July 12, 1906 March 23, 1922
Thomas Murray Hall July 12, 1906 March 23, 1922
William Hamilton July 10, 1915 July 27, 1920 Death
Jack Hanlon February 19, 1920 March 23, 1922
Edward Hanson February 19, 1920 March 23, 1922
Arthur Hawthorn[1] February 11, 1911 March 23, 1922
Albert Hinchcliffe May 4, 1904 March 23, 1922
Joseph Hodel July 3, 1914 March 23, 1922
Alfred Jones February 15, 1917 March 23, 1922
Hamilton Jones October 10, 1917 March 23, 1922
Thomas Llewellyn Jones August 18, 1919 March 23, 1922
Charles Kilpatrick February 19, 1920 March 23, 1922
James Lalor August 23, 1888 August 11, 1921 Resignation
George Lawson August 18, 1919 March 23, 1922
Patrick Leahy July 1, 1912 March 23, 1922
William Lennon August 18, 1920 March 23, 1922
Henry Llewellyn October 10, 1917 March 23, 1922
Lewis McDonald October 10, 1917 March 23, 1922
Frank McDonnell July 3, 1907 March 23, 1922
Charles McGhie May 4, 1904 January 21, 1917 Death
Herbert McPhail February 19, 1920 March 23, 1922
Charles Marks November 28, 1888 March 23, 1922
Edward David Miles July 5, 1902 March 23, 1922
Berkeley Basil Moreton July 15, 1901 March 23, 1922
Robert Mulvey February 19, 1920 March 23, 1922
Peter Murphy May 4, 1904 March 23, 1922
Thomas Nevitt October 12, 1917 March 23, 1922
Charles Nielson September 14, 1907 March 23, 1922
Timothy O'Shea July 3, 1914 March 23, 1922
Gerald Page-Hanify October 10, 1917 February 11, 1922 Death
Arthur Parnell March 3, 1908 March 23, 1922
Isidore Perel October 10, 1917 March 23, 1922
Edmund Plant June 8, 1905 March 23, 1922
Ernest Purnell October 12, 1917 March 23, 1922
Jim Riordan October 10, 1917 March 23, 1922
Alexander Skirving August 18, 1919 March 23, 1922
John Gordon Smith February 19, 1920 June 19, 1921 Death
William Stephens July 1, 1912 March 23, 1922
Ernest James Stevens April 6, 1899 September 7, 1920 Retired[1]
Richard Sumner October 10, 1917 March 23, 1922
William Taylor April 17, 1886 March 23, 1922
George Thompson February 19, 1920 March 23, 1922
Andrew Joseph Thynne January 26, 1882 March 23, 1922
Henry Turner July 3, 1907 March 23, 1922
Arthur Whittingham July 1, 1912 March 23, 1922
1 Randolph Bedford resigned on 21 February 1918 and was reappointed on 27 May 1918.
2 William Dunstan resigned on 15 June 1921 and was reappointed on 15 August 1921.

References

  1. ↑ "No title.". The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939) (Brisbane, Qld.: National Library of Australia). 25 September 1920. p. 23. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
Preceded by
1910–1916		 Queensland Legislative Council
1917–1922 		Succeeded by
Council abolished