Thomas Henley
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Henley KBE
(4 February 1860–14 May 1935) was an Australia
n politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
.
, Wiltshire
, England
and after basic education worked in the building industry for about ten years until he migrated to Sydney
in about 1884. He married Charlotte Smith in 1886. He became a property developer and continued to build up his business during the depression of the 1890s, including acquiring Sydney Harbour
ferry companies. He was an alderman for Drummoyne Council
from 1898 to 1934, including four periods as Mayor.
as a member of the Liberal Reform Party
, Liberal Party
, Nationalist Party
and United Australia Party
until 1935, except for the period of proportional representation
(1920–1927), when he was a member for Ryde
. He had a forthright parliamentary style, boasting of his own success and the merits of hard work. Opponents called him the "great 'I am".
Henley fell from a Manly
ferry and drowned on 14 May 1935 amid rumours of suicide. He was survived by his wife, two daughters and a son Herbert, who was a member of the Legislative Council
from 1937 to 1964.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(4 February 1860–14 May 1935) was an 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, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New 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...
.
Early years
Henley was born in Wootton BassettWootton Bassett
Royal Wootton Bassett , informally known as Wootton Bassett, is a small market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, with a population of 11,043 in 2001...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and after basic education worked in the building industry for about ten years until he migrated to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in about 1884. He married Charlotte Smith in 1886. He became a property developer and continued to build up his business during the depression of the 1890s, including acquiring Sydney Harbour
Port Jackson
Port Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge...
ferry companies. He was an alderman for Drummoyne Council
City of Canada Bay
The City of Canada Bay is a Local Government Area of New South Wales, Australia and located in the metropolitan area of Sydney. The city was formed in December 2000, following the merger of Concord and Drummoyne councils...
from 1898 to 1934, including four periods as Mayor.
Political career
Henley was elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1904 representing BurwoodElectoral district of Burwood (New South Wales)
Burwood was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, first created in 1894 with the abolition of multi-member electoral districts from part of Canterbury, and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Burwood. With the introduction of...
as a member of the Liberal Reform Party
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...
, Liberal Party
Commonwealth Liberal Party
The Commonwealth Liberal Party was a political movement active in Australia from 1909 to 1916, shortly after federation....
, Nationalist Party
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...
and United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
until 1935, except for the period of proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
(1920–1927), when he was a member for Ryde
Electoral district of Ryde
Ryde is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It includes the suburbs and localities of Denistone, Denistone East, Denistone West, Macquarie Park, Marsfield, Meadowbank, Melrose Park, Ryde, North Ryde, West Ryde; and part of Eastwood.It is...
. He had a forthright parliamentary style, boasting of his own success and the merits of hard work. Opponents called him the "great 'I am".
Henley fell from a Manly
Manly, New South Wales
Manly is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Manly is located 17 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of Manly Council, in the Northern Beaches region.-History:Manly was named...
ferry and drowned on 14 May 1935 amid rumours of suicide. He was survived by his wife, two daughters and a son Herbert, who was a member of the Legislative Council
New 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...
from 1937 to 1964.