Nat Harper
Encyclopedia
Nathaniel White Harper (18 March 1865—3 January 1954) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Western Australia
n Legislative Assembly
from 1910 until 1914, representing the seats of Beverley
and Pingelly
. He was also the maternal grandfather of Bill Grayden
, who served for almost 50 years in State and Federal politics.
, Northern Ireland
, to John Harper, a farmer, and Margaret (née White), and was educated locally for six months in the year while working on his father's potato fields. In 1883, he moved to New Zealand
where he worked in a gold mine in the Central Otago
region and gaining experience in hydraulic
sluicing
. In 1887, he commenced work with BHP
in Broken Hill
, where he rose to the position of mine foreman. Two years later, he moved once again to Zeehan
in western Tasmania
, where he worked as a mine manager while also being the vice-president of the local miners' union. On 19 September 1891, he married Margaret Jane Thomas at her family home at Naseby
, New Zealand
, then in 1892 moved to Southern Cross
, Western Australia
, as manager of Fraser's mine. In May 1895, he took up management of the White Feather Main Reef at Kanowna
, and in 1897, after an unsuccessful attempt the previous year, was elected mayor of the town, a position he would hold until 1901. Also in 1897, at the state election
held that year, he ran unsuccessfully against Frederick Vosper
for the North-East Coolgardie seat.
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 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....
from 1910 until 1914, representing the seats of Beverley
Electoral district of Beverley
Beverley was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1890 to 1950.The district was based on the rural town of Beverley lying to the east of Perth...
and Pingelly
Electoral district of Pingelly
Pingelly was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1911 to 1950.The district was located in the Western Australia's Wheatbelt region, based on the town of Pingelly. Though won by the Liberal member for Beverley at its first contest at...
. He was also the maternal grandfather of Bill Grayden
Bill Grayden
William Leonard "Bill" Grayden AM was an Australian politician. Born in Perth, Western Australia, he was educated at state schools and then at Perth Technical College, becoming a mechanical engineer. He served in the military from 1940-1946...
, who served for almost 50 years in State and Federal politics.
Biography
Harper was born near BallymenaBallymena
Ballymena is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. Ballymena had a population of 28,717 people in the 2001 Census....
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, to John Harper, a farmer, and Margaret (née White), and was educated locally for six months in the year while working on his father's potato fields. In 1883, he moved to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
where he worked in a gold mine in the Central Otago
Central Otago
Central Otago is the inland part of the New Zealand region of Otago in the South Island. The area commonly known as Central Otago includes both the Central Otago District and the Queenstown-Lakes District to the west....
region and gaining experience in hydraulic
Hydraulics
Hydraulics is a topic in applied science and engineering dealing with the mechanical properties of liquids. Fluid mechanics provides the theoretical foundation for hydraulics, which focuses on the engineering uses of fluid properties. In fluid power, hydraulics is used for the generation, control,...
sluicing
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
. In 1887, he commenced work with BHP
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
in Broken Hill
Broken Hill, New South Wales
-Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the...
, where he rose to the position of mine foreman. Two years later, he moved once again to Zeehan
Zeehan, Tasmania
Zeehan is a town on the west coast of Tasmania, Australia. It lies southwest of Burnie. At the 2006 census, Zeehan had a population of 845. It is part of the Municipality of West Coast....
in western Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, where he worked as a mine manager while also being the vice-president of the local miners' union. On 19 September 1891, he married Margaret Jane Thomas at her family home at Naseby
Naseby, New Zealand
Naseby is a small town, formerly a borough, in the Maniototo area of Central Otago, New Zealand. It is named after a village in Northamptonshire, England....
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, then in 1892 moved to Southern Cross
Southern Cross, Western Australia
Southern Cross is a town in Western Australia, 371 kilometres east of Perth on the Great Eastern Highway. It was founded by gold prospectors in 1888, and gazetted in 1890. It is the major town and administrative centre of the Shire of Yilgarn...
, 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...
, as manager of Fraser's mine. In May 1895, he took up management of the White Feather Main Reef at Kanowna
Kanowna, Western Australia
Kanowna is a ghost town in the Goldfields region of Western Australia. It is located about 20 km east of Kalgoorlie.After the discovery of gold in the area in 1893, the townsite was gazetted in 1894...
, and in 1897, after an unsuccessful attempt the previous year, was elected mayor of the town, a position he would hold until 1901. Also in 1897, at the state election
Western Australian state election, 1897
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia between 27 April and 26 May 1897 to elect 44 members to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. The Ministerialist group led by John Forrest won a third term in office as a result of the elections...
held that year, he ran unsuccessfully against Frederick Vosper
Frederick Vosper
Frederick Charles Burleigh Vosper was an Australian newspaper journalist and proprietor, and politician. He was well known for his ardent views and support of Australian republicanism, federalism and trade unionism.-Early life:...
for the North-East Coolgardie seat.