Albert Bruntnell
Encyclopedia
Albert Bruntnell was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1906 until his death and held a number of ministerial positions in the Government of New South Wales
. He was a conservative and at various times he represented the Liberal and Reform
and the Nationalist
parties.
. His father was a master blacksmith
and he was educated to elementary level at National schools
. Bruntnell was trained as a tailor but in 1885 he joined the Salvation Army
and attended the Salvation Army Training School. Following graduation, his first appointment as a Salvation Army Officer was to accompany Commissioner Howard
to Australia in 1888. He remained in Australia and was promoted to Captain in Melbourne in 1889. Bruntnell reached the rank of Brigadier by 1897 when he became the colonial commanding officer in Victoria. He later held the same position in Queensland in 1900 and New South Wales in 1903. However, he was forced to resign his position in 1903 after accepting a personal gift from the New South Wales Alliance for the Suppression of Intemperance, which then employed him as its secretary. He maintained a life-time interest in Temperance and was a Freemason. Together with premier Charles Wade
he was a key supporter of the Australian Protestant Defence Association. During his parliamentary career he also worked as a Real estate agent and auctioneer.
the member for Surry Hills
challenged William Holman
the Labor member for Cootamundra
and a future premier to resign his seat so that Norton could contest a by-election directly against him. When the challenge was accepted, Norton was compelled to resign from his own seat precipitating a by-election in Surry Hills, which was held on 14 July 1906. Bruntnell stood as the Liberal and Reform candidate and won with 30% of the vote. Norton finished 4th with 18%.
At the next state election held on 10 September 1907, Bruntnell chose to contest the seat of Alexandria
but lost to the Australian Labor Party
candidate John Darcy. Bruntnell was absent from parliament until the general election of 1910 when he won the seat of Annandale
by 200 votes (1.18%). He was, however defeated at the next election by Arthur Griffith
. Bruntnell was finally able to secure a safe, conservative voting seat, at the 1916 by-election for the seat of Parramatta
. This election was caused by the death of Thomas Moxham. Bruntnell continued to represent Parramatta until his death.
government from 1922 till 1925. In this position he instituted a pledge of loyalty to the flag to counter what he viewed as disloyalty amongst Irish-Australian Catholics. He also re-introduced fees for public high schools
When Fuller resigned as leader of the Nationalists he narrowly lost the leadership ballot to Bavin. He served as Colonial Secretary in Bavin's government from 1927 till his death.
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 1906 until his death and held a number of ministerial positions in the Government of New South Wales
Government of New South Wales
The form of the Government of New South Wales is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then...
. He was a conservative and at various times he represented the Liberal and Reform
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 the Nationalist
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...
parties.
Early life
Bruntnell was born in Breconshire, WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. His father was a master blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
and he was educated to elementary level at National schools
National Society for Promoting Religious Education
The National Society for Promoting Religious Education, often just referred to as the National Society, is a Church of England body in England and Wales for the promotion of church schools and Christian education....
. Bruntnell was trained as a tailor but in 1885 he joined the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
and attended the Salvation Army Training School. Following graduation, his first appointment as a Salvation Army Officer was to accompany Commissioner Howard
T. Henry Howard
Commissioner Thomas Henry Howard OF was the Second Chief of the Staff of The Salvation Army, succeeding Bramwell Booth on his appointment as General on the death of his father William Booth in 1912....
to Australia in 1888. He remained in Australia and was promoted to Captain in Melbourne in 1889. Bruntnell reached the rank of Brigadier by 1897 when he became the colonial commanding officer in Victoria. He later held the same position in Queensland in 1900 and New South Wales in 1903. However, he was forced to resign his position in 1903 after accepting a personal gift from the New South Wales Alliance for the Suppression of Intemperance, which then employed him as its secretary. He maintained a life-time interest in Temperance and was a Freemason. Together with premier 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...
he was a key supporter of the Australian Protestant Defence Association. During his parliamentary career he also worked as a Real estate agent and auctioneer.
Political career
In 1906, during a Legislative Assembly debate over a land corruption scandal , John NortonJohn 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...
the member for Surry Hills
Electoral district of Surry Hills
Surry Hills was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1904 and named after and including Surry Hills. In 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation, it was absorbed into the multi-member electorate of Sydney. It was...
challenged William Holman
William Holman
William Arthur Holman was an Australian Labor Party Premier of New South Wales, Australia, who split with the party on the conscription issue in 1916 during World War I, and immediately became Premier of a conservative Nationalist Party Government.-Early life:Holman was born in St Pancras, London,...
the Labor member for Cootamundra
Electoral district of Cootamundra
Cootamundra was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1904 to 1941, in the Cootamundra area. It elected one member between 1904 and 1920 and between 1927 and 1941. In 1920, it absorbed Burrangong and Yass and elected three members under...
and a future premier to resign his seat so that Norton could contest a by-election directly against him. When the challenge was accepted, Norton was compelled to resign from his own seat precipitating a by-election in Surry Hills, which was held on 14 July 1906. Bruntnell stood as the Liberal and Reform candidate and won with 30% of the vote. Norton finished 4th with 18%.
At the next state election held on 10 September 1907, Bruntnell chose to contest the seat of Alexandria
Electoral district of Alexandria
Alexandria was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1904, partly replacing Waterloo, and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Alexandria. With the introduction of proportional representation, it was absorbed into the...
but lost to 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...
candidate John Darcy. Bruntnell was absent from parliament until the general election of 1910 when he won the seat of Annandale
Electoral district of Annandale
Annandale was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1894, with the abolition of multi-member constituencies, from part of Balmain, and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Annandale. With the introduction of proportional...
by 200 votes (1.18%). He was, however defeated at the next election by Arthur Griffith
Arthur Hill Griffith
Arthur Griffith was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1894 until 1917 and held a number of ministerial positions in the Government of New South Wales...
. Bruntnell was finally able to secure a safe, conservative voting seat, at the 1916 by-election for the seat of Parramatta
Electoral district of Parramatta
Parramatta is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is currently held by Geoff Lee of the Liberal Party of Australia....
. This election was caused by the death of Thomas Moxham. Bruntnell continued to represent Parramatta until his death.
Ministerial career
Bruntnell was the Minister of Public Health for the last two months of the Nationalist government of premier William Holman. He was the Minister of Public Instruction in the second FullerGeorge Fuller (Australian politician)
Sir George Warburton Fuller KCMG was Premier of New South Wales, Australia on two occasions during the 1920s. His first term of office lasted less than one day ; his second lasted from 13 April 1922 to 17 June 1925.-Early life:Fuller was born in Kiama, New South Wales and was educated at Kiama...
government from 1922 till 1925. In this position he instituted a pledge of loyalty to the flag to counter what he viewed as disloyalty amongst Irish-Australian Catholics. He also re-introduced fees for public high schools
When Fuller resigned as leader of the Nationalists he narrowly lost the leadership ballot to Bavin. He served as Colonial Secretary in Bavin's government from 1927 till his death.