Charles Sladen
Encyclopedia
Sir Charles Sladen, KCMG
(28 August 1816–22 February 1884), Australia
n colonial politician
, was the 6th Premier of Victoria.
Sladen was born in England
near Walmer
, Kent
, the second son of John Baker Sladen, deputy-lieutenant of the county. He was educated at Shrewsbury
and later at Trinity Hall, Cambridge
. In 1840, he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB). He migrated to Australia in 1841, and in February 1842 arrived in the Port Phillip District
(later Victoria
). He was soon admitted to the Victorian bar, and practised as a solicitor in Geelong until 1854, when he took up farming near Winchelsea
. In 1840 he married Harriet Amelia Orton. In 1851-52 he played cricket
for Victoria.
In November 1855 Sladen was nominated to the Victorian Legislative Council
, and was appointed acting Treasurer. When Victoria gained responsible government
in 1856, Sladen was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly
as Member for Geelong, and became Treasurer in the ministry of William Haines
, a position he held until March 1857. He advocated the creation of a public bank and increased immigration.
A firm conservative, Sladen lost his seat in the liberal election victory of 1861, but re-entered politics in 1864 when he was elected to the Legislative Council
for Western Province. When the liberal Premier James McCulloch
resigned in May 1868 during the conflict between the government and the Council over the proposed grant to retiring Governor Charles Darling, Sladen was asked by the new Governor, Sir John Manners-Sutton
, to form a government.
Sladen found himself in a hopeless situation, since he was a member of the upper house at a time when it was increasingly accepted that the leader of the government must come from the Assembly — he is the only member of the Council ever to serve as Premier. Since he had little support in the Assembly, his government had no prospect of long-term survival. Following the resolution of the Darling grant crisis, he stepped down in July, and in September he retired from the Council.
In 1876 Sladen was again elected to the Council for Western Province, and became the de facto leader of the Council in its conflicts with the Assembly. Despite being very conservative, Sladen recommended that the franchise for the Council be extended, and that the property qualifications for membership be reduced. These reforms were enacted in 1881. Sladen retired in 1882 due to poor health and died in 1884 in Geelong.
Sladen was created a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
(KCMG) in 1875. A portrait of him hangs in the National Gallery of Victoria
in Melbourne.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(28 August 1816–22 February 1884), 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 colonial politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, was the 6th Premier of Victoria.
Sladen was born 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...
near Walmer
Walmer
Walmer is a town in the district of Dover, Kent in England: located on the coast, the parish of Walmer is six miles north-east of Dover. Largely residential, its coastline and castle attract many visitors...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, the second son of John Baker Sladen, deputy-lieutenant of the county. He was educated at Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged 13 to 18, founded by Royal Charter in 1552. The present campus to which the school moved in 1882 is located on the banks of the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England...
and later at Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :...
. In 1840, he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB). He migrated to Australia in 1841, and in February 1842 arrived in the Port Phillip District
Port Phillip District
The Port Phillip District was an historical administrative division of the Colony of New South Wales, existing from September 1836 until 1 July 1851, when it was separated from New South Wales and became the Colony of Victoria....
(later Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
). He was soon admitted to the Victorian bar, and practised as a solicitor in Geelong until 1854, when he took up farming near Winchelsea
Winchelsea, Victoria
Winchelsea is a town in Victoria, Australia. It is in the Surf Coast Shire local government area and located on the Barwon River 115 km south-west of Melbourne and close to Geelong .- History :...
. In 1840 he married Harriet Amelia Orton. In 1851-52 he played cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
for Victoria.
In November 1855 Sladen was nominated to the Victorian Legislative Council
Victorian Legislative Council
The Victorian Legislative Council, is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia; the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Council serves as a house of review, in a similar fashion to...
, and was appointed acting Treasurer. When Victoria gained responsible government
Responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
in 1856, Sladen was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
as Member for Geelong, and became Treasurer in the ministry of William Haines
William Haines (Australian politician)
Dr William Clark Haines , Australian colonial politician, was the first Premier of Victoria.Haines was born in London, the son of John Haines, a physician. He was educated at Charterhouse School and Caius College, Cambridge, where he graduated in medicine; he later practiced surgery for several years...
, a position he held until March 1857. He advocated the creation of a public bank and increased immigration.
A firm conservative, Sladen lost his seat in the liberal election victory of 1861, but re-entered politics in 1864 when he was elected to the Legislative Council
Victorian Legislative Council
The Victorian Legislative Council, is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia; the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Council serves as a house of review, in a similar fashion to...
for Western Province. When the liberal Premier James McCulloch
James McCulloch
James McCulloch is also the name of the cashier of the Baltimore branch of the Second National Bank of the United States. This James McCulloch was not involved in the McCulloch vs. Maryland U.S. Supreme Court case....
resigned in May 1868 during the conflict between the government and the Council over the proposed grant to retiring Governor Charles Darling, Sladen was asked by the new Governor, Sir John Manners-Sutton
John Manners-Sutton, 3rd Viscount Canterbury
John Henry Thomas Manners-Sutton, 3rd Viscount Canterbury KCB, GCMG , known as the Honourable Sir John Manners-Sutton between 1866 and 1869, was a British Tory politician and colonial administrator....
, to form a government.
Sladen found himself in a hopeless situation, since he was a member of the upper house at a time when it was increasingly accepted that the leader of the government must come from the Assembly — he is the only member of the Council ever to serve as Premier. Since he had little support in the Assembly, his government had no prospect of long-term survival. Following the resolution of the Darling grant crisis, he stepped down in July, and in September he retired from the Council.
In 1876 Sladen was again elected to the Council for Western Province, and became the de facto leader of the Council in its conflicts with the Assembly. Despite being very conservative, Sladen recommended that the franchise for the Council be extended, and that the property qualifications for membership be reduced. These reforms were enacted in 1881. Sladen retired in 1882 due to poor health and died in 1884 in Geelong.
Sladen was created a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(KCMG) in 1875. A portrait of him hangs in the National Gallery of Victoria
National Gallery of Victoria
The National Gallery of Victoria is an art gallery and museum in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest and the largest public art gallery in Australia. Since December 2003, NGV has operated across two sites...
in Melbourne.