William Gocher
Encyclopedia
William Henry Gocher was an Australian artist and bimetallist who campaigned to end the ban on daylight sea bathing
in Sydney
.
Gocher was born in Ipswich in Suffolk
to salesman Charles Gocher and Louisa King. He attended St John's College at Hurstpierpoint
and converted to Roman Catholicism, coming to Australia around 1872. He worked as an artist in Sydney
from around 1884. On 2 May 1888 he married Elizabeth Josephine Storm at Surry Hills
. He was part of the bimetallic movement
in the 1890s and was vice-president of the Bimetallic League of New South Wales; he also admired William Jennings Bryan
and supported Federation, believing it would save Australia from the "jeers of Jews, capitalists and the press". He ran unsuccessfully for the Senate
in 1901 and for the New South Wales Parliament in 1901 and 1904, continuing to campaign for bimetallism as president of the Australian Currency League from 1912 to 1918. A 1918 pamphlet, Australia Must be Heard, implored the Pope
to bring about an armistice.
An writer for John Norton
's Truth, he established the Manly and Sydney News in 1900 when he and his family moved to Manly
. As part of a campaign against the ban on daylight bathing, he announced his intention to swim at midday in October 1902; the police took him away after he criticised their laxness, and he was not charged with any crimes. In November 1903 Manly Council
legalised all-day bathing; many attributed Gocher with the victory. He returned to the city in 1906 and launched the Balmain Banner. Having been devastated by one of his sons' death at Gallipoli
, he suffered a stroke
in 1917 and died in 1921 of arteriosclerosis
and chronic nephritis
.
Sea bathing
Sea bathing is swimming in the sea or in sea water and a sea bath is a protective enclosure for sea bathing. Unlike bathing in a swimming pool, which is generally done for pleasure or exercise purposes, sea bathing was once thought to have curative or therapeutic value. It arose from the medieval...
in 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...
.
Gocher was born in Ipswich in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
to salesman Charles Gocher and Louisa King. He attended St John's College at Hurstpierpoint
Hurstpierpoint
Hurstpierpoint is a village in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England. Together with Sayers Common it forms one of the Mid Sussex civil parishes, with an area of 2029.88 ha and a population of 6,264 persons....
and converted to Roman Catholicism, coming to Australia around 1872. He worked as an artist in 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...
from around 1884. On 2 May 1888 he married Elizabeth Josephine Storm at Surry Hills
Surry Hills, New South Wales
Surry Hills is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Surry Hills is located immediately south-east of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Sydney...
. He was part of the bimetallic movement
Bimetallism
In economics, bimetallism is a monetary standard in which the value of the monetary unit is defined as equivalent both to a certain quantity of gold and to a certain quantity of silver; such a system establishes a fixed rate of exchange between the two metals...
in the 1890s and was vice-president of the Bimetallic League of New South Wales; he also admired William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan was an American politician in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. He was a dominant force in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, standing three times as its candidate for President of the United States...
and supported Federation, believing it would save Australia from the "jeers of Jews, capitalists and the press". He ran unsuccessfully for the Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
in 1901 and for the New South Wales Parliament in 1901 and 1904, continuing to campaign for bimetallism as president of the Australian Currency League from 1912 to 1918. A 1918 pamphlet, Australia Must be Heard, implored the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
to bring about an armistice.
An writer for John Norton
John Norton (Australian journalist)
John Norton, , was an English-born Australian journalist, editor and member of the New South Wales Parliament. He was a writer and newspaper proprietor best known for his Sydney newspaper the Truth...
's Truth, he established the Manly and Sydney News in 1900 when he and his family moved to 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...
. As part of a campaign against the ban on daylight bathing, he announced his intention to swim at midday in October 1902; the police took him away after he criticised their laxness, and he was not charged with any crimes. In November 1903 Manly Council
Manly Council
Manly Council is a Local Government Area on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.- Demographics :According to the , there:...
legalised all-day bathing; many attributed Gocher with the victory. He returned to the city in 1906 and launched the Balmain Banner. Having been devastated by one of his sons' death at Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
, he suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
in 1917 and died in 1921 of arteriosclerosis
Arteriosclerosis
Arteriosclerosis refers to a stiffening of arteries.Arteriosclerosis is a general term describing any hardening of medium or large arteries It should not be confused with "arteriolosclerosis" or "atherosclerosis".Also known by the name "myoconditis" which is...
and chronic nephritis
Nephritis
Nephritis is inflammation of the nephrons in the kidneys. The word "nephritis" was imported from Latin, which took it from Greek: νεφρίτιδα. The word comes from the Greek νεφρός - nephro- meaning "of the kidney" and -itis meaning "inflammation"....
.