Charles Wade
Encyclopedia
Sir Charles Gregory Wade KCMG (26 January 1863 – 26 September 1922) was Premier of New South Wales 2 October 1907 – 21 October 1910. According to Percival Serle
, "Wade was a public-spirited man of high character. His ability, honesty and courage were quickly recognized and, though he could not be called a great leader, he was either in office or leader of the opposition for nearly the whole of his political life of 14 years. His career as a judge was short, but his sense of justice and grasp of principles and details, eminently fitted him for that position."
. He was the son of William Burton Wade, a civil engineer. Educated at All Saints College, Bathurst
, and The King's School
, Parramatta
. Wade won the Broughton and Forrest scholarships and went to Merton College, Oxford. He had a distinguished career, both as a scholar and an athlete, graduating with honours in classics and representing his university and England at Rugby football
. He was called to the bar at the Inner Temple
in 1886 and in the same year returned to Sydney. He married Ella Louise Bell, daughter of a civil engineer, in 1890. He made a reputation as a barrister and was appointed a crown prosecutor in 1891 and successfully prosecuted George Dean
for attempted murder in a notorious case in 1895. From 1902, he represented employers before the new Industrial Arbitration Court.
seat of Willoughby
, with the support of the Liberal and Reform Association
, People's Reform League, New South Wales Alliance for the Suppression of Intemperance, Loyal Orange Institution and Australian Protestant Defence Association. From 1904 to 1917, he represented Gordon. Within a year of his first election he joined the Carruthers
ministry as Attorney-General and Minister for Justice. When Carruthers resigned Wade became Premier on 2 October 1907, but still retained his previous portfolios. He was an energetic leader and a large number of acts were passed by his government dealing with among others, industrial disputes, neglected children, minimum wage, employers' liability, the liquor problem, and closer settlement. There was some remission of taxation and each year the treasurer was able to show a surplus. The great Burrinjuck Dam
for which the Carruthers government was responsible was started, and special care was taken that the consequent increase in the value of the land should be preserved for the people generally and not merely the landholders. During the 1909-10 coal strike Wade, appeared to favour the mine-owners and lost significant community support.
In spite of his good record Wade was defeated at the general election, and a Labour government came in on 21 October 1910, Wade becoming leader of the opposition. When the Nationalist
ministry was formed in November 1916 he was prominent in the negotiations, but the state of his health did not allow him to seek office. He also declined the office of agent-general for New South Wales but went to London
on holiday. A few months later, finding his health much improved, he became agent-general. A series of seven lectures on Australia delivered at University College, London, was published in 1919 under the title Australia, Problems and Prospects. In December of that year Wade was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
at Sydney and took up his duties in March 1920.
Wade died after a short illness at his house at the Sydney suburb of Potts Point, New South Wales
and was survived by Lady Wade, two sons and two daughters.
His funeral was held at St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney
on 22 September 1922. He was buried at South Head Cemetery on the same day.
Percival Serle
Percival Serle was an Australian biographer and bibliographer.Serle was born in Victoria and for many years worked in a life assurance office before becoming chief clerk and accountant at the University of Melbourne...
, "Wade was a public-spirited man of high character. His ability, honesty and courage were quickly recognized and, though he could not be called a great leader, he was either in office or leader of the opposition for nearly the whole of his political life of 14 years. His career as a judge was short, but his sense of justice and grasp of principles and details, eminently fitted him for that position."
Early years
Charles Gregory Wade was born in Singleton, New South WalesSingleton, New South Wales
-Industry & Commerce:Major industries near Singleton include coal mining, energy generation, light industry, vineyards, horse breeding and cattle production. Dairying was once a mainstay in the area, but has declined....
. He was the son of William Burton Wade, a civil engineer. Educated at All Saints College, Bathurst
All Saints College, Bathurst
All Saints' College is an independent, co-educational Christian college in the Anglican tradition. Located in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia, the college caters for day students from Transition to Year 12 and boarders from Years 7 to 12....
, and The King's School
The King's School, Sydney
The King's School is an independent Anglican, day and boarding school for boys in North Parramatta in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831, it is Australia's oldest school and forms one of the nine "Great Public Schools" of New South Wales. Situated within a site, Gowan Brae,...
, Parramatta
Parramatta, New South Wales
Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Greater Western Sydney west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Parramatta River. Parramatta is the administrative seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Parramatta...
. Wade won the Broughton and Forrest scholarships and went to Merton College, Oxford. He had a distinguished career, both as a scholar and an athlete, graduating with honours in classics and representing his university and England at Rugby football
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
. He was called to the bar at the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1886 and in the same year returned to Sydney. He married Ella Louise Bell, daughter of a civil engineer, in 1890. He made a reputation as a barrister and was appointed a crown prosecutor in 1891 and successfully prosecuted George Dean
George Dean (poisoner)
George Dean was a ferry-boat master in Sydney, Australia, who was charged with attempting to poisoning his wife. A large part of the Sydney public came to believe that Dean was innocent and that his wife and her mother had conspired against him...
for attempted murder in a notorious case in 1895. From 1902, he represented employers before the new Industrial Arbitration Court.
Political career
In September 1903, he ran successfully for the Legislative AssemblyNew 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...
seat of Willoughby
Electoral district of Willoughby
Willoughby is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Gladys Berejiklian of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
, with the support of the Liberal and Reform Association
Liberal Reform Party (Australia)
The Liberal Reform Party was an Australian political party, active in New South Wales state politics between 1901 and 1916. The question of tariff policy which, had created and divided the Free Trade Party and Protectionist Party in New South Wales in the 1890s, became a federal issue at the time...
, People's Reform League, New South Wales Alliance for the Suppression of Intemperance, Loyal Orange Institution and Australian Protestant Defence Association. From 1904 to 1917, he represented Gordon. Within a year of his first election he joined the Carruthers
Joseph Carruthers
Sir Joseph Hector McNeil Carruthers KCMG was an Australian politician and Premier of New South Wales.According to Percival Serle, few premiers of New South Wales succeeded in doing so much distinguished work...
ministry as Attorney-General and Minister for Justice. When Carruthers resigned Wade became Premier on 2 October 1907, but still retained his previous portfolios. He was an energetic leader and a large number of acts were passed by his government dealing with among others, industrial disputes, neglected children, minimum wage, employers' liability, the liquor problem, and closer settlement. There was some remission of taxation and each year the treasurer was able to show a surplus. The great Burrinjuck Dam
Burrinjuck Dam
Burrinjuck Dam is a high, concrete gravity dam on the Murrumbidgee River approximately 60 km from Yass, New South Wales, Australia. The Yass and Goodradigbee Rivers flow into the dam. The dam divides the upper and lower catchment of the Murrumbidgee and is the headwater storage for the...
for which the Carruthers government was responsible was started, and special care was taken that the consequent increase in the value of the land should be preserved for the people generally and not merely the landholders. During the 1909-10 coal strike Wade, appeared to favour the mine-owners and lost significant community support.
In spite of his good record Wade was defeated at the general election, and a Labour government came in on 21 October 1910, Wade becoming leader of the opposition. When the Nationalist
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
ministry was formed in November 1916 he was prominent in the negotiations, but the state of his health did not allow him to seek office. He also declined the office of agent-general for New South Wales but went to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on holiday. A few months later, finding his health much improved, he became agent-general. A series of seven lectures on Australia delivered at University College, London, was published in 1919 under the title Australia, Problems and Prospects. In December of that year Wade was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
Supreme Court of New South Wales
The Supreme Court of New South Wales is the highest state court of the Australian State of New South Wales...
at Sydney and took up his duties in March 1920.
Wade died after a short illness at his house at the Sydney suburb of Potts Point, New South Wales
Potts Point, New South Wales
Potts Point is a small, densely-populated suburb of inner-city Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Potts Point is located 3 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney....
and was survived by Lady Wade, two sons and two daughters.
His funeral was held at St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney
St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney
St Andrew's Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney in the Anglican Church of Australia. The cathedral is the seat of the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney and Metropolitan of New South Wales, the Most Reverend Peter Jensen...
on 22 September 1922. He was buried at South Head Cemetery on the same day.