Charles Latham
Encyclopedia
Sir Charles Latham was an Australian politician born in Hythe, Kent
in England
.
) and Isabella (née Isum) died before the age of 8. Latham moved to New South Wales
in Australia
with his siblings in 1890 and married Marie Louisa von Allwörden on 24 June 1903 at Hay
in the same state.
In 1910, Latham moved to Western Australia
to take up 1000 acres (4 km²) of land at East Kumminin (now Narembeen
), 286 kilometres (177.7 mi) east
of Perth
. In his early farming days, he was unsuccessful, but was not deterred by the 1914 drought
and owned 2000 acres (8.1 km²) of land in 1921 when he entered parliament
.
In 1916 Latham enlisted in the entirely volunteer-run First Australian Imperial Force
and was promoted to the rank of Corporal in January 1917. He was wounded in France
in March 1918. Latham was promoted Sergeant in 1919 and was discharged in May of that year.
(now National Party) candidate for the Legislative Assembly
seat of York in 1921 and became a MLC following this endorsement. Before the First World War
Latham was a member of the Bruce Rock Road Board
before the war, but upon his return to Australia he became the chairman of the Narembeen Road Board
in 1924. In 1930 Latham became the parliamentary leader of the Country Party and fervently rallied for farmers' rights. Later that year he joined the Party with the Nationalist Party
and served as deputy Premier of Western Australia under James Mitchell
from 1930 to 1933. From 1933 onwards, Latham was the Leader of the Opposition
until 1942, when he resigned to fill a vacancy in the Australian Senate
but lost the 1943 election. Latham then returned to Parliament in 1946 to serve as a Member of the Legislative Council, became Minister for Agriculture in 1952-53 and retired in 1960, after another two years as the President of the Legislative Council.
Latham died on 26 August 1968 and was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery
.
Hythe, Kent
Hythe , is a small coastal market town on the edge of Romney Marsh, in the District of Shepway on the south coast of Kent. The word Hythe or Hithe is an Old English word meaning Haven or Landing Place....
in 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...
.
Biography
Latham became an orphan in early childhood when his parents Thomas Latham (a coast guardCoast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
) and Isabella (née Isum) died before the age of 8. Latham moved to 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...
in 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...
with his siblings in 1890 and married Marie Louisa von Allwörden on 24 June 1903 at Hay
Hay, New South Wales
Hay is a town in the western Riverina region of south western New South Wales , Australia. It is the administrative centre of Hay Shire Local Government Area and the centre of a prosperous and productive agricultural district on the wide Hay Plains....
in the same state.
In 1910, Latham moved to Western Australia
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...
to take up 1000 acres (4 km²) of land at East Kumminin (now Narembeen
Narembeen, Western Australia
Narembeen is a town in the Western Australia wheatbelt. It is 286 km, almost due east, from Perth, the capital of WA. It is the major settlement in the Shire of Narembeen, in which the major industries are growing cereal crops and raising cattle and sheep....
), 286 kilometres (177.7 mi) east
East
East is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.East is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of west and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the right side of a map is east....
of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. In his early farming days, he was unsuccessful, but was not deterred by the 1914 drought
Drought in Australia
Drought in Australia is defined as rainfall over a three month period being in the lowest decile of what has been recorded for that region in the past. This definition takes into account that drought is a relative term and rainfall deficiencies need to be compared to typical rainfall patterns...
and owned 2000 acres (8.1 km²) of land in 1921 when he entered parliament
Parliament of Western Australia
The Parliament of Western Australia consists of the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly . The Parliament sits at Parliament House in Harvest Terrace, Perth....
.
In 1916 Latham enlisted in the entirely volunteer-run First Australian Imperial Force
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
and was promoted to the rank of Corporal in January 1917. He was wounded in 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...
in March 1918. Latham was promoted Sergeant in 1919 and was discharged in May of that year.
Political career
Latham became the Country PartyNational Party of Western Australia
The National Party of Western Australia is a political party in Western Australia. It is affiliated with the National Party of Australia but maintains a separate structure and identity....
(now National Party) candidate for 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 York in 1921 and became a MLC following this endorsement. Before the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Latham was a member of the Bruce Rock Road Board
Shire of Bruce Rock
The Shire of Bruce Rock is a Local Government Area in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, about south of Merredin and about east of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of , and its seat of government is the town of Bruce Rock.-History:...
before the war, but upon his return to Australia he became the chairman of the Narembeen Road Board
Shire of Narembeen
The Shire of Narembeen is a Local Government Area in the Eastern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, about east of the state capital, Perth, and between the shires of Merredin to the north, and Kondinin to the south...
in 1924. In 1930 Latham became the parliamentary leader of the Country Party and fervently rallied for farmers' rights. Later that year he joined the Party with the 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 served as deputy Premier of Western Australia under James Mitchell
James Mitchell (Australian politician)
Sir James Mitchell GCMG was the 13th Premier of Western Australia, serving on two occasions, the Lieutenant-Governor of Western Australia for 15 years and the 22nd Governor of Western Australia....
from 1930 to 1933. From 1933 onwards, Latham was the Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Western Australia)
The Leader of the Opposition in Western Australia is the leader of the largest minority political party or coalition of parties in the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia. By convention, he or she is generally a member of the Legislative Assembly...
until 1942, when he resigned to fill a vacancy in the Australian 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,...
but lost the 1943 election. Latham then returned to Parliament in 1946 to serve as a Member of the Legislative Council, became Minister for Agriculture in 1952-53 and retired in 1960, after another two years as the President of the Legislative Council.
Latham died on 26 August 1968 and was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery
Karrakatta Cemetery
Karrakatta Cemetery is a metropolitan cemetery in the suburb of Karrakatta in Perth, Western Australia. Karrakatta Cemetery first opened for burials in 1899, with Robert Creighton. Currently managed by the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board, the cemetery attracts more than one million visitors each...
.
See also
- Leader of the Opposition (Western Australia)Leader of the Opposition (Western Australia)The Leader of the Opposition in Western Australia is the leader of the largest minority political party or coalition of parties in the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia. By convention, he or she is generally a member of the Legislative Assembly...
- National Party of Western AustraliaNational Party of Western AustraliaThe National Party of Western Australia is a political party in Western Australia. It is affiliated with the National Party of Australia but maintains a separate structure and identity....