Elliott Lewis
Encyclopedia
Sir Neil Elliott Lewis, KCMG
(27 October 1858 – 22 September 1935), Australia
n politician, was Premier of Tasmania on three occasions. He was also a member of the first Australian federal ministry
, led by Edmund Barton
.
Lewis was born in Hobart
, son of Neil Lewis, a merchant, and his wife Anne Maria, née Cox. N. E. Lewis was the grandson of Richard Lewis (government auctioneer) and nephew of David Lewis, colonial treasurer 1878-79.
Educated at the Hobart High School
, Lewis took the diploma of associate of arts with gold medal, and was awarded a Tasmanian scholarship. Lewis then attended Balliol College, Oxford University graduating B.A.
, 1882 and M.A. & B.C.L.
in 1885. He was admitted as a barrister in London
in 1883 and returned to Tasmania where he was admitted as a barrister in December 1885 and commenced a private practice.
Lewis was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly
at the 1886 election and remained a member of parliament until 1903. During this time he represented conservative interests and policies in opposition to liberals such as Philip Fysh
, Sir Edward Braddon
and Andrew Inglis Clark
. He served in Henry Dobson
's ministry from 1892 until 1894 as Attorney-General, and was Leader of the Opposition 1894–1899. He was also an ardent federalist, having accompanied his predecessor as Premier, Sir Edward Braddon
, as part of the Tasmanian delegation to the 1897–1898 convention.
In early October 1899, following a number of scandals affecting members of his Ministry, Braddon lost a vote of confidence on the floor of Parliament and was obliged to resign, and Lewis became Premier of Tasmania on 12 October 1899. He served in this role until 1903, encouraging producing interests and endeavouring to find fresh markets. Lewis was appointed as Minister without Portfolio in the first federal ministry under Edmund Barton
in January 1901. However, he decided not to stand for election to the Federal Parliament in March. Lewis and Sir James Dickson
are the only people to have held ministerial office in an Australian federal government without ever being a member of the Commonwealth Parliament.
At the 2 April 1903 election, Lewis' seat of Richmond
was abolished, and he failed to win the new seat of Central Hobart
; the only time a Tasmanian premier has been defeated in a general election. Lewis failed in a second attempt in 1906, but won one of the Denison
seats under the statewide Hare-Clark system at the 1909 election
—ironic in light of his ardent opposition to the system. Lewis was to serve in Parliament for another 13 years.
Lewis was again Premier of Tasmania in 1909, and again from 1909 to 1912. During these times he also held the post of Attorney-General. After leaving politics in 1922, he became Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania and was first president of the Tasmanian Amateur Athletic Association. Lewis was vice-chancellor of the University of Tasmania
in 1903-09 and chancellor in 1924-33.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(27 October 1858 – 22 September 1935), 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, was Premier of Tasmania on three occasions. He was also a member of the first Australian federal ministry
Barton Ministry
The Barton Ministry was the first Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 1 January 1901 to 24 September 1903. The ministry was made up of Protectionist Party members....
, led by Edmund Barton
Edmund Barton
Sir Edmund Barton, GCMG, KC , Australian politician and judge, was the first Prime Minister of Australia and a founding justice of the High Court of Australia....
.
Lewis was born in Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, son of Neil Lewis, a merchant, and his wife Anne Maria, née Cox. N. E. Lewis was the grandson of Richard Lewis (government auctioneer) and nephew of David Lewis, colonial treasurer 1878-79.
Educated at the Hobart High School
Hobart College (Tasmania)
Hobart College was, until January 2009, a senior secondary college located at Mount Nelson, in Hobart, Tasmania.In January 2009 it became the Hobart Campus of the Tasmanian Polytechnic and the Tasmanian Academy, formed as part of the Tasmania Tomorrow reforms.The Hobart Campus now offers courses...
, Lewis took the diploma of associate of arts with gold medal, and was awarded a Tasmanian scholarship. Lewis then attended Balliol College, Oxford University graduating B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, 1882 and M.A. & B.C.L.
Bachelor of Civil Law
Bachelor of Civil Law is the name of various degrees in law conferred by English-language universities. Historically, it originated as a postgraduate degree in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, but many universities now offer the BCL as an undergraduate degree...
in 1885. He was admitted as a barrister in 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...
in 1883 and returned to Tasmania where he was admitted as a barrister in December 1885 and commenced a private practice.
Lewis was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly
Tasmanian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...
at the 1886 election and remained a member of parliament until 1903. During this time he represented conservative interests and policies in opposition to liberals such as Philip Fysh
Philip Fysh
Sir Philip Oakley Fysh, KCMG was an Australian politician, Premier of Tasmania and a member of the first federal ministry....
, Sir Edward Braddon
Edward Braddon
Sir Edward Nicholas Coventry Braddon, KCMG , Australian politician, was the Premier of Tasmania from 1894 to 1899, and was a Member of the First Australian Parliament in the House of Representatives...
and Andrew Inglis Clark
Andrew Inglis Clark
Andrew Inglis Clark was an Australian barrister, politician, electoral reformer and jurist. He initially qualified engineer, however he re-trained as a barrister in order to effectively fight for social causes which deeply concerned him...
. He served in Henry Dobson
Henry Dobson
Henry Dobson , was an Australian politician, who served as a member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly and later of the Australian Senate...
's ministry from 1892 until 1894 as Attorney-General, and was Leader of the Opposition 1894–1899. He was also an ardent federalist, having accompanied his predecessor as Premier, Sir Edward Braddon
Edward Braddon
Sir Edward Nicholas Coventry Braddon, KCMG , Australian politician, was the Premier of Tasmania from 1894 to 1899, and was a Member of the First Australian Parliament in the House of Representatives...
, as part of the Tasmanian delegation to the 1897–1898 convention.
In early October 1899, following a number of scandals affecting members of his Ministry, Braddon lost a vote of confidence on the floor of Parliament and was obliged to resign, and Lewis became Premier of Tasmania on 12 October 1899. He served in this role until 1903, encouraging producing interests and endeavouring to find fresh markets. Lewis was appointed as Minister without Portfolio in the first federal ministry under Edmund Barton
Edmund Barton
Sir Edmund Barton, GCMG, KC , Australian politician and judge, was the first Prime Minister of Australia and a founding justice of the High Court of Australia....
in January 1901. However, he decided not to stand for election to the Federal Parliament in March. Lewis and Sir James Dickson
James Dickson
Sir James Robert Dickson, KCMG was an Australian politician and businessman, the 13th Premier of Queensland and a member of the first federal ministry....
are the only people to have held ministerial office in an Australian federal government without ever being a member of the Commonwealth Parliament.
At the 2 April 1903 election, Lewis' seat of Richmond
Electoral district of Richmond (Tasmania)
The Electoral district of Richmond was a single-member electoral district of the Tasmanian House of Assembly. It was based around the town of Richmond to the north of Hobart....
was abolished, and he failed to win the new seat of Central Hobart
Electoral district of Central Hobart
The Electoral district of Central Hobart, sometimes referred to as Hobart Central, was an electoral district of the Tasmanian House of Assembly. It was based in Tasmania's capital city, Hobart....
; the only time a Tasmanian premier has been defeated in a general election. Lewis failed in a second attempt in 1906, but won one of the Denison
Division of Denison (state)
The Electoral Division of Denison is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir William Denison, who was Lieutenant Governor of Van_Diemen's Land 1847-55, and Governor of New South Wales 1855-61. The division shares its name and boundaries with the...
seats under the statewide Hare-Clark system at the 1909 election
Tasmanian state election, 1909
A general election for the House of Assembly was held in the Australian state of Tasmania on 30 April 1909...
—ironic in light of his ardent opposition to the system. Lewis was to serve in Parliament for another 13 years.
Lewis was again Premier of Tasmania in 1909, and again from 1909 to 1912. During these times he also held the post of Attorney-General. After leaving politics in 1922, he became Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania and was first president of the Tasmanian Amateur Athletic Association. Lewis was vice-chancellor of the University of Tasmania
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
in 1903-09 and chancellor in 1924-33.