Ernest Henshaw
Encyclopedia
Ernest Percival Henshaw was an Australian Labor Party
politician
who became a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
.
Born in Geelong
, Victoria
on 4 September 1870, Henshaw was the son of cabinet maker John Henshaw and Frances née Lamb. Nothing is known of his childhood, except that he was apprenticed as a carpenter
. By 1892 he was working as a carpenter and living in Clifton Hill
, and on 17 August of that year he married Julia Emma Wildy. They would have a son and two daughters.
Around 1894, Henshaw emigrated to Western Australia
along with his brother and two sisters. Henshaw settled in Subiaco
, working as a carpenter and joiner
. He became active in the labour movement, becoming secretary of the Industrial Union of Carpenters and Joiners, and later president of the Coastal Trades and Labour Council. On 24 June 1904 he was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly seat of Collie on a Labor ticket. He held the seat until the election of 27 October 1905, when he was defeated by John Ewing.
Henshaw held numerous official positions in the Australian Labor Party over the next five years. He contested the Australian House of Representatives
seat of Perth
in the election of 13 April 1910 but was unsuccessful. In 1911 he was heavily involved in the design and construction of the Perth Trades Hall
, but later that year he left the party over a dispute.
During World War I
Henshaw was the foreman carpenter for the Henderson Naval Base project. He later became a building surveyor, and in the late 1930s he helped form the Institute of Quantity Surveyors. In 1947 he rejoined the Labor party. He died at Subiaco on 11 June 1950, and was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery
.
His grandson, David Henshaw, was a member of the Victorian Legislative Council
from 1982 to 1996, representing Geelong Province.
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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who became a Member of the Western Australian 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....
.
Born in Geelong
Geelong, Victoria
Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...
, 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....
on 4 September 1870, Henshaw was the son of cabinet maker John Henshaw and Frances née Lamb. Nothing is known of his childhood, except that he was apprenticed as a carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
. By 1892 he was working as a carpenter and living in Clifton Hill
Clifton Hill, Victoria
Clifton Hill is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 4 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. The border between Clifton Hill and Fitzroy North is Queens Parade and Smith Street. Merri Creek defines the eastern border of Clifton Hill. Its Local Government Area is...
, and on 17 August of that year he married Julia Emma Wildy. They would have a son and two daughters.
Around 1894, Henshaw emigrated 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...
along with his brother and two sisters. Henshaw settled in 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....
, working as a carpenter and joiner
Joiner
A joiner differs from a carpenter in that joiners cut and fit joints in wood that do not use nails. Joiners usually work in a workshop since the formation of various joints generally requires non-portable machinery. A carpenter normally works on site...
. He became active in the labour movement, becoming secretary of the Industrial Union of Carpenters and Joiners, and later president of the Coastal Trades and Labour Council. On 24 June 1904 he was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly seat of Collie on a Labor ticket. He held the seat until the election of 27 October 1905, when he was defeated by John Ewing.
Henshaw held numerous official positions in the Australian Labor Party over the next five years. He contested the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
seat of Perth
Division of Perth
The Division of Perth is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Western Australia. It is named after Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, where the Division is located...
in the election of 13 April 1910 but was unsuccessful. In 1911 he was heavily involved in the design and construction of the Perth Trades Hall
Perth Trades Hall
The Perth Trades Hall is the Trades Hall building in Perth used by the Western Australian trade union movement for meetings, offices, social and educational events, and the location of the Trades and Labour Council , now known as the UnionsWA...
, but later that year he left the party over a dispute.
During World War I
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...
Henshaw was the foreman carpenter for the Henderson Naval Base project. He later became a building surveyor, and in the late 1930s he helped form the Institute of Quantity Surveyors. In 1947 he rejoined the Labor party. He died at Subiaco on 11 June 1950, 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...
.
His grandson, David Henshaw, was a member of 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...
from 1982 to 1996, representing Geelong Province.