Edmund Hall
Encyclopedia
Edmund Henry Hartley Hall (13 August 1878—28 July 1965) was an Australian politician who represented the Western Australia
n Legislative Council
district of Central Province from 1928 until 1947, and the Legislative Assembly
seat of Geraldton
from 1947 until 1950. He was a member of the Country Party
.
, Western Australia
, Hall was educated locally before gaining employment at the post office, where he worked in various locations over 20 years. By 1911, he was the postmaster at Laverton, and on 20 April 1916, he married Catherine Forster at St Andrew's Church, Subiaco
, with whom he was to have one son and four daughters.
On 5 August 1918, he enlisted and was appointed Second Lieutenant
with the First Australian Imperial Force
, on account of his 7 years' earlier service with the Rifles in Geraldton. He was assigned to the Australian Light Horse Regiment, and reported to Blackboy Hill, but did not leave Australia and was discharged on 1 December 1918. He then continued his career with the postal service, then became a storekeeper and agent in Geraldton. On 24 November 1920, he was elected to Geraldton Municipal Council
, and served eight years as a councillor.
In May 1928, he contested one of the three Legislative Council
seats in Central Province, which had historically been Labor-held, and won it. He went on to sit in the Council for 19 years, serving on select committees into the Hire Purchase Act, the distribution of funds provided by the Commonwealth to aid wheat growers, and the care and reform of juvenile delinquents.
He resigned his seat before the 1947 Assembly election
to contest the seat of Geraldton
, following the retirement from politics of the former Labor Premier, John Willcock
, who had held the seat for 30 years. Hall won the seat by 11 votes against Bill Sewell, and served a single term before being defeated by Sewell at the 1950 election.
On 4 July 1950, his wife Catherine died. Little is known of his later life, and he died on 28 July 1965 at Martindale Hospital in the Perth suburb of Applecross
, and was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery
.
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...
n Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
district of Central Province from 1928 until 1947, and 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 Geraldton
Electoral district of Geraldton
Geraldton is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia.Geraldton was one of the original 30 seats contested at the 1890 state election...
from 1947 until 1950. He was a member of the Country Party
National 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....
.
Biography
Born to Edward Hall, a labour, baker and contractor, and Ellen (née Craggs) in the port city of GeraldtonGeraldton, Western Australia
Geraldton is a city and port in Western Australia located north of Perth in the Mid West region. Geraldton has an estimated population at June 2010 of 36,958...
, 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...
, Hall was educated locally before gaining employment at the post office, where he worked in various locations over 20 years. By 1911, he was the postmaster at Laverton, and on 20 April 1916, he married Catherine Forster at St Andrew's Church, Subiaco
Subiaco, Western Australia
Subiaco is an inner western suburb of Perth, Western Australia, situated to the north west of Kings Park. Its Local Government Area is the City of Subiaco.-History:Prior to European settlement the area was home to the Noongar Indigenous people....
, with whom he was to have one son and four daughters.
On 5 August 1918, he enlisted and was appointed Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
with the 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...
, on account of his 7 years' earlier service with the Rifles in Geraldton. He was assigned to the Australian Light Horse Regiment, and reported to Blackboy Hill, but did not leave Australia and was discharged on 1 December 1918. He then continued his career with the postal service, then became a storekeeper and agent in Geraldton. On 24 November 1920, he was elected to Geraldton Municipal Council
City of Geraldton
The City of Geraldton was a Local Government Area in the Mid West region of Western Australia, north of the state capital, Perth on the Indian Ocean...
, and served eight years as a councillor.
In May 1928, he contested one of the three Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
seats in Central Province, which had historically been Labor-held, and won it. He went on to sit in the Council for 19 years, serving on select committees into the Hire Purchase Act, the distribution of funds provided by the Commonwealth to aid wheat growers, and the care and reform of juvenile delinquents.
He resigned his seat before the 1947 Assembly election
Western Australian state election, 1947
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 15 March 1947 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly. The result was a hung parliament—the four-term Labor government, led by Premier Frank Wise, was defeated with a swing of approximately 7%, but the Liberal-Country Party...
to contest the seat of Geraldton
Electoral district of Geraldton
Geraldton is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia.Geraldton was one of the original 30 seats contested at the 1890 state election...
, following the retirement from politics of the former Labor Premier, John Willcock
John Willcock
John Collings Willcock was the 15th Premier of Western Australia.-Early life:John Willcock was born at Frogmoor , New South Wales on 9 August 1879. The son of miner Joseph Willcock, he was educated at Sydney High School before emigrating to Western Australia in 1897...
, who had held the seat for 30 years. Hall won the seat by 11 votes against Bill Sewell, and served a single term before being defeated by Sewell at the 1950 election.
On 4 July 1950, his wife Catherine died. Little is known of his later life, and he died on 28 July 1965 at Martindale Hospital in the Perth suburb of Applecross
Applecross, Western Australia
Applecross is an affluent riverside suburb of Perth, Western Australia, bounded by Canning Highway and the Swan River. It is located within the City of Melville.Like the name Perth, the suburb of Applecross borrows its name from the region in Scotland...
, and was buried 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...
.