Francis Clarke
| Francis Clarke | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Cowper | |
|
In office 29 March 1901 – 16 December 1903 | |
| Preceded by | New seat |
| Succeeded by | Henry Lee |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
25 March 1857 Stroud, Colony of New South Wales |
| Died |
18 May 1939 (aged 82) Manly, New South Wales, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Protectionist Party |
| Occupation | Surveyor |
Francis Clarke (25 March 1857 – 18 May 1939) was an Australian politician.
Early life
Born in Stroud, New South Wales, the son of Thomas Clarke and Ellen Walsh. He attended St Stanislaus' College at Bathurst before becoming a surveyor.
Political career
He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1893 to 1898, representing the seats of Macleay and Hastings and Macleay.[1] Clarke played a role in expediting the re-inclusion of Edmund Barton in the Australasian Federal Convention for the establishment of the Australian Federation. Barton was a major driver in the Federation movement but as he lost his seat in the NSW Colonial parliament he faced exclusion from the discussions. To expedite his return to the political process Clarke resigned from his safe seat of Hastings and the Macleay triggering a by-election which Barton won with Clarke's endorsement.
He was later appointed a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1899–1900, representing the Protectionist Party.[1] Serving as an early alderman of the Borough of North Sydney, Clarke served a single term as mayor (1898–1899).[2]
In 1901, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Protectionist member for Cowper. He held the seat until his defeat in 1903 by Henry Lee of the Free Trade Party.[3]
Later life
After leaving politics he was drafted as a member of the Royal Commission on Customs and Tariffs 1904-07 and the Royal Commission on Northern Territory railways and ports (1913–1914). He died in Manly in 1939.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 "Mr Francis Clarke (1857 - 1939". Former Members. Parliament of New South Wales. 2008. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ↑ "BOROUGH OF NORTH SYDNEY.". New South Wales Government Gazette (136). New South Wales, Australia. 15 February 1898. p. 1220. Retrieved 8 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ Carr, Adam (2008). "Australian Election Archive". Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive. Archived from the original on 20 July 2007. Retrieved 2008-05-17.
| New South Wales Legislative Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Otho Dangar |
Member for Macleay 1893 – 1894 Served alongside: Hogan |
District abolished |
| New district | Member for Hastings and Macleay 1894 – 1898 |
Succeeded by Edmund Barton |
| Preceded by Edmund Barton |
Member for Hastings and Macleay 1900 – 1901 |
Succeeded by Robert Davidson |
| Civic offices | ||
| Preceded by John Mitchell Purves |
Mayor of North Sydney 1898 – 1899 |
Succeeded by John Mitchell Purves |
| Parliament of Australia | ||
| New division | Member for Cowper 1901 – 1903 |
Succeeded by Henry Lee |