Samuel Hamersley
Encyclopedia
Samuel Richard Hamersley (12 October 1842–1 October 1896) was a Western Australia
n pastoralist
, and a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council for six years.
Samuel Hamersley was born in Guildford, Western Australia
on 12 October 1842. The following year, he went with his family to France
. The family returned to Western Australia in 1850, building a home at Guildford. In his youth, Hamersley farmed at Toodyay
, York
and Swan Districts under a system of tenant farming. In 1863 he was a member of an exploring expedition to the Glenelg River
. In 1865, he married Matilda Brown, daughter of Thomas Brown
and sister to Maitland
and Kenneth
. From about 1865 until 1868, Hamersley managed the family's Richmond property at Williams
; he then spend some time at Wungong in the Canning district, before returning to Guildford in 1870. In 1873 he was running a butcher
ing business, and in 1875 he inherited his father's Haseley property in Toodyay.
Western Australia having obtained representative government in 1870, Hamersley stood for election in 1874, and on 2 October was elected to the Legislative Council seat of Murray and Williams. He held the seat until 12 February 1880, when we was succeeded by Septimus Burt
. In February 1889, he contested the seat of Toodyay but was defeated by the incumbent George Shenton
. The following October he won the Legislative Assembly
seat of Swan
in a by-election
, but was only required to hold it for five months.
Samuel Hamersley died at Guildford on 1 October 1896. He had three sons and three daughters; one of his sons was Vernon Hamersley
, who became the longest-serving Member of the Legislative Council ever. The Hamersleys
were a well connected family, and Samuel Hamersley was related by blood or marriage to a number of prominent Western Australian farmers and politicians. His father Edward
was one of the leading Western Australian landholders of his day; his brother Edward
also became a Member of the Legislative Council; William Locke Brockman
was his uncle; his sister Margaret
married Sir John Forrest
; and his wife Matilda was sister to Maitland Brown.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
n pastoralist
Pastoralism
Pastoralism or pastoral farming is the branch of agriculture concerned with the raising of livestock. It is animal husbandry: the care, tending and use of animals such as camels, goats, cattle, yaks, llamas, and sheep. It may have a mobile aspect, moving the herds in search of fresh pasture and...
, and a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council for six years.
Samuel Hamersley was born in Guildford, Western Australia
Guildford, Western Australia
Guildford is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located 13 km northeast of the city. Its Local Government Area is the City of Swan.-History:Guildford was established in 1829 on the Swan River, being sited near a permanent fresh water supply...
on 12 October 1842. The following year, he went with his family to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The family returned to Western Australia in 1850, building a home at Guildford. In his youth, Hamersley farmed at Toodyay
Toodyay, Western Australia
Toodyay is a town located in the Wheatbelt region in the Avon Valley, 85 km north-east of Perth, Western Australia. Toodyay is connected to Perth via both rail and road.-History:...
, York
York, Western Australia
York is the oldest inland town in Western Australia, situated 97 km east of Perth in the Avon Valley near Northam, and is the seat of the Shire of York...
and Swan Districts under a system of tenant farming. In 1863 he was a member of an exploring expedition to the Glenelg River
Glenelg River (Western Australia)
The Glenelg River is a river in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.The headwaters of the river rise in the Elizabeth and Catherine Range then flow in a north-westerly direction past the Whately Range and discharge into Maitland Bay then through George Water, into Doubtful Bay and finally the...
. In 1865, he married Matilda Brown, daughter of Thomas Brown
Thomas Brown (Western Australian politician)
Thomas Brown was an early settler in colonial Western Australia, and a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council....
and sister to Maitland
Maitland Brown
Maitland Brown was an explorer, politician and pastoralist in colonial Western Australia. He is best remembered as the leader of the La Grange expedition, which searched for and recovered the bodies of three white settlers murdered by Indigenous Australians, and subsequently killed a number of...
and Kenneth
Kenneth Brown (pastoralist)
Kenneth Brown was an explorer and pastoralist in Western Australia. He was hanged for murdering his wife.Kenneth Brown was born in England in 1837. The eldest son of Thomas Brown, he later became the older brother of Maitland Brown. In 1840, The Brown family emigrated to Western Australia,...
. From about 1865 until 1868, Hamersley managed the family's Richmond property at Williams
Williams, Western Australia
Williams is a town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, south-southeast of the state capital, Perth along Albany Highway and 32 kilometres west of Narrogin. The Williams River passes through the town. At the 2006 census, Williams had a population of 338.-History:Williams is...
; he then spend some time at Wungong in the Canning district, before returning to Guildford in 1870. In 1873 he was running a butcher
Butcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
ing business, and in 1875 he inherited his father's Haseley property in Toodyay.
Western Australia having obtained representative government in 1870, Hamersley stood for election in 1874, and on 2 October was elected to the Legislative Council seat of Murray and Williams. He held the seat until 12 February 1880, when we was succeeded by Septimus Burt
Septimus Burt
The Hon Septimus Burt KC was a Western Australian lawyer, politician and grazier, the son of Sir Archibald Burt.He was born on 25 October 1847 at St Kitts in the West Indies, and educated at a private school at Melksham, Wiltshire, England...
. In February 1889, he contested the seat of Toodyay but was defeated by the incumbent George Shenton
George Shenton
Sir George Shenton was a prominent businessman in colonial Western Australia, the first Mayor of Perth, and a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council for over thirty years.-Early and family life:...
. The following October he won the Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
seat of Swan
Electoral district of Swan
Swan was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1890 to 1950 and again from 1962 to 1983....
in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
, but was only required to hold it for five months.
Samuel Hamersley died at Guildford on 1 October 1896. He had three sons and three daughters; one of his sons was Vernon Hamersley
Vernon Hamersley
Vernon Hamersley served the longest term ever as a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council.-Life and career:...
, who became the longest-serving Member of the Legislative Council ever. The Hamersleys
Hamersley family
The Hamersley family were a wealthy and well-connected family of early settlers in the colony of Western Australia. Members of the Hamersley family emigrated to Western Australia from England in 1837.Prominent members and connections of the family include:...
were a well connected family, and Samuel Hamersley was related by blood or marriage to a number of prominent Western Australian farmers and politicians. His father Edward
Edward Hamersley (Snr)
Edward Hamersley was an early settler in colonial Western Australia. He became a successful and wealthy pastoralist, and a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council. The Hamersley family became one of the most prominent families in the colony.Edward Hamersley was born at Sandgate,...
was one of the leading Western Australian landholders of his day; his brother Edward
Edward Hamersley (Jnr)
Edward Hamersley was a Western Australian pastoralist, and a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council for nearly ten years....
also became a Member of the Legislative Council; William Locke Brockman
William Locke Brockman
William Locke Brockman was an early settler in Western Australia, who became a leading pastoralist and stock breeder, and a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council....
was his uncle; his sister Margaret
Margaret Forrest
Lady Forrest , born Margaret Elvire Hamersley, was the wife of Sir John Forrest. Born in Le Havre, France, she was a member of the prominent and wealthy Hamersley family; her father was Edward Hamersley , and amongst her brothers were Edward Hamersley and Samuel Hamersley...
married Sir John Forrest
John Forrest
Sir John Forrest GCMG was an Australian explorer, the first Premier of Western Australia and a cabinet minister in Australia's first federal parliament....
; and his wife Matilda was sister to Maitland Brown.