Thomas Waddell
Encyclopedia
Thomas Waddell an Australia
n politician, was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1887 to 1917, was briefly the Premier of New South Wales during 1904, and was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
from 1917 to 1934.
, Ireland
, son of John and Ann Waddell and was brought to Australia when a few months old. He grew up near Lake George
, New South Wales
, northeast of Canberra
and was educated at Collector
public school and Goulburn
High School. At 15 he started work was a shop assistant and then became clerk of petty sessions at Collector Court. He began selling cattle and horses in 1876 and spent some time at Cooper Creek
in western Queensland
. Together with his brother George, he bought three stations
in far western New South Wales
and managed them for five years before selling them in the boom of the 1880s.
in the Legislative Assembly
and in May 1887 he married Elizabeth, daughter of John James of Orange
. In the July 1891 election he lost his seat to James Peter Howe, but won it back again at a by-election following Howe's resignation in October 1891. He was elected as member for Cobar
in July 1894 and Cowra
in July 1898. In April 1901 he became Colonial Treasurer in the See
Government and handled the portfolio well in difficult times. When See resigned in June 1904, he recommended to Governor Sir Harry Rawson
that he appoint Paddy Crick
, but Rawson did not favour Crick because of his excessive drinking in Executive Council
meetings and in due course asked Waddell to be Premier.
Two months later Waddell's Government faced a general election, and he won re-election to the renamed seat of Belubula
, but his Progressive Party lost badly to Joseph Carruthers
' Liberal Reform Party
and resigned on 27 August. The Australian Labor Party
became the official opposition. He attempted to hold the Progressive Party together, but in May 1907 he accepted an offer to become Colonial Secretary in Carruthers Government. The Progressive Party disintegrated after the September 1907 election.
When Charles Wade
became Premier in October 1907, Waddell became Colonial Treasurer until the Government's defeat by James McGowen
's Labor Party in the 1910 election. As Treasurer, he reduced income tax and repealed stamp duty. He remained member for Belubula until 1917 and served in the Legislative Council
from 1917 to 1934, when elections to the Council were introduced.
Waddell died in Ashfield
on 25 October 1940. He was survived by his wife and three sons and four daughters.
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 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...
from 1887 to 1917, was briefly the Premier of New South Wales during 1904, and was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
from 1917 to 1934.
Early life
He was born in County MonaghanCounty Monaghan
County Monaghan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Monaghan. Monaghan County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, son of John and Ann Waddell and was brought to Australia when a few months old. He grew up near Lake George
Lake George (New South Wales)
Lake George is a lake in south-eastern New South Wales, Australia about 30 minutes drive north-east of Canberra along the Federal Highway en route to Sydney.-Geography / Geology:...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, northeast of Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
and was educated at Collector
Collector, New South Wales
Collector is a small village on the Federal Highway in New South Wales, Australia halfway between Goulburn and the Australian Capital Territory. It is seven kilometres north of Lake George...
public school and Goulburn
Goulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway and above sea-level. On Census night 2006, Goulburn had a population of 20,127 people...
High School. At 15 he started work was a shop assistant and then became clerk of petty sessions at Collector Court. He began selling cattle and horses in 1876 and spent some time at Cooper Creek
Cooper Creek
Cooper Creek is one of the most famous and yet least visited rivers in Australia. It is sometimes known as the Barcoo River from one of its tributaries and is one of three major Queensland river systems that flow into the Lake Eyre Basin...
in western Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. Together with his brother George, he bought three stations
Station (Australian agriculture)
Station is the term for a large Australian landholding used for livestock production. It corresponds to the North American term ranch or South American estancia...
in far western New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and managed them for five years before selling them in the boom of the 1880s.
Parliamentary career
In February 1887 he was elected as member for BourkeElectoral district of Bourke
Bourke was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1880 to 1904, including the town of Bourke. It elected two members simultaneously between 1882 and 1894, with voters casting two votes and the first two candidates being elected.-Members...
in the 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...
and in May 1887 he married Elizabeth, daughter of John James of Orange
Orange, New South Wales
Orange is a city in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is west of the state capital, Sydney, at an altitude of . Orange has an estimated population of 39,329 and the city is a major provincial centre....
. In the July 1891 election he lost his seat to James Peter Howe, but won it back again at a by-election following Howe's resignation in October 1891. He was elected as member for Cobar
Electoral district of Cobar
Cobar was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1894 to 1920, when it was combined with Willyama and Sturt to create a three-member Sturt. Cobar was recreated in 1932 and abolished in 1968. It included Cobar.-Members for Cobar:...
in July 1894 and Cowra
Electoral district of Cowra
Cowra was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1894 to 1904, including the town of Cowra. It was partly replaced by Belubula.-Members for Cowra:...
in July 1898. In April 1901 he became Colonial Treasurer in the See
John See
Sir John See, KCMG was a member of the New South Wales Legislature from 26 November 1880 to 15 June 1901, and was then Premier of New South Wales from 1901 to 1904....
Government and handled the portfolio well in difficult times. When See resigned in June 1904, he recommended to Governor Sir Harry Rawson
Harry Rawson
Admiral Sir Harry Holdsworth Rawson, GCB, GCMG RN , is chiefly remembered for overseeing the British Benin Expedition of 1897 that burned and looted the city of the Kingdom of Benin, now in Nigeria...
that he appoint Paddy Crick
Paddy Crick
William Patrick Crick, known as Paddy Crick or W.P.Crick was an Australian politician, solicitor and newspaper proprietor...
, but Rawson did not favour Crick because of his excessive drinking in Executive Council
Executive Council (Commonwealth countries)
An Executive Council in Commonwealth constitutional practice based on the Westminster system is a constitutional organ which exercises executive power and advises the governor or governor-general. Executive Councils often make decisions via Orders in Council.Executive Councillors are informally...
meetings and in due course asked Waddell to be Premier.
Two months later Waddell's Government faced a general election, and he won re-election to the renamed seat of Belubula
Electoral district of Belubula
Belubula was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1904 to 1913, named after the Belubula River, which flows through the town of Canowindra. In 1913 it was largely absorbed into Lyndhurst....
, but his Progressive Party lost badly to Joseph 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...
' 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...
and resigned on 27 August. The Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
became the official opposition. He attempted to hold the Progressive Party together, but in May 1907 he accepted an offer to become Colonial Secretary in Carruthers Government. The Progressive Party disintegrated after the September 1907 election.
When Charles Wade
Charles Wade
Sir Charles Gregory Wade KCMG 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...
became Premier in October 1907, Waddell became Colonial Treasurer until the Government's defeat by James McGowen
James McGowen
James Sinclair Taylor McGowen was an Australian politician and the first Labor Premier of New South Wales from 21 October 1910 to 30 June 1913.-Early life and family:...
's Labor Party in the 1910 election. As Treasurer, he reduced income tax and repealed stamp duty. He remained member for Belubula until 1917 and served in the Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
from 1917 to 1934, when elections to the Council were introduced.
Waddell died in Ashfield
Ashfield, New South Wales
Ashfield is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Ashfield is about 9 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Ashfield.The official name for the...
on 25 October 1940. He was survived by his wife and three sons and four daughters.