William Copley (South Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
You may be looking for the 20th Century American artist, also named William Copley
.
William Copley (born on 25 April 1845 in Sheffield
, England
; died on 16 September 1925 in Henley Beach, Australia
) was an Australia
n farmer and politician.
in 1849. He was elected to the House of Assembly
for Frome
in 1884. In 1887 he lost Frome but in July won a Legislative Council by-election for the northern division. As 'a strenuous opponent' of socialism, he was a founding member in 1892 of the National Defence League, a 'counter' to the new United Labor Party.
Copley was commissioner for crown lands and immigration in Thomas Playford's 1890-92 ministry. But the appointment of a legislative councillor to the position was opposed in the Lower House and he was transferred to agriculture and education. He was a 'strong farmer's advocate' and introduced progressive probate and succession duties and 'homestead block' measures, based on New Zealand legislation. This led to the inauguration of 10-acre (4 ha) holdings at Gawler Blocks, Peterborough, Cottonville and Croydon. He sat on the 1891 and 1898-99 pastoral lands commissions. Copley was minister of agriculture and education in Sir John Downer's 1892-93 ministry, and chief secretary briefly in 1893 when he piloted the bill for free education through the council.
Defeated in 1894, he returned to farming and assisting the N.D.L. In 1896-1902 he sat again in the House of Assembly as member for Yorke Peninsula. In 1902 he stood for Barossa and lost, and also failed in a bid to enter the Senate for the Australasian National League. A founder member and president of the Farmers and Producers' Political Union from 1904, he led discussions on its amalgamation with the Liberal and Democratic Union and the A.N.L., resulting in the formation of the Liberal Union in 1910.
Survived by his wife and four daughters, Copley died at Henley Beach on 16 September 1925, leaving an estate sworn for probate at £5308. His adherence to what 'he believed to be fair and right' had showed particularly in the South African War
; as an Imperialist, he disliked the South Australian emblem outside Government House, and it 'excited a good deal of public attention' when he removed the flag and demanded that the Union Jack be hoisted. He was reserved but kindly, described by the Observer as 'not a genius' but 'a good, capable, inflexibly honest legislator'. The town of Copley
commemorates him.
William Copley (artist)
You may be looking for the 19th Century Australian politician, also named William Copley.William Nelson Copley was an American artist who lived in New York.He signed his Surrealist style paintings CPLY....
.
William Copley (born on 25 April 1845 in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, 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...
; died on 16 September 1925 in Henley Beach, 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...
) was an 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 farmer and politician.
Biography
The eldest son of James Copley and Elizabeth Redfearn, William Copley emigrated with his family to Burra Burra in South AustraliaSouth Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
in 1849. He was elected to the House of Assembly
House of Assembly
House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level....
for Frome
Frome
Frome is a town and civil parish in northeast Somerset, England. Located at the eastern end of the Mendip Hills, the town is built on uneven high ground, and centres around the River Frome. The town is approximately south of Bath, east of the county town, Taunton and west of London. In the 2001...
in 1884. In 1887 he lost Frome but in July won a Legislative Council by-election for the northern division. As 'a strenuous opponent' of socialism, he was a founding member in 1892 of the National Defence League, a 'counter' to the new United Labor Party.
Copley was commissioner for crown lands and immigration in Thomas Playford's 1890-92 ministry. But the appointment of a legislative councillor to the position was opposed in the Lower House and he was transferred to agriculture and education. He was a 'strong farmer's advocate' and introduced progressive probate and succession duties and 'homestead block' measures, based on New Zealand legislation. This led to the inauguration of 10-acre (4 ha) holdings at Gawler Blocks, Peterborough, Cottonville and Croydon. He sat on the 1891 and 1898-99 pastoral lands commissions. Copley was minister of agriculture and education in Sir John Downer's 1892-93 ministry, and chief secretary briefly in 1893 when he piloted the bill for free education through the council.
Defeated in 1894, he returned to farming and assisting the N.D.L. In 1896-1902 he sat again in the House of Assembly as member for Yorke Peninsula. In 1902 he stood for Barossa and lost, and also failed in a bid to enter the Senate for the Australasian National League. A founder member and president of the Farmers and Producers' Political Union from 1904, he led discussions on its amalgamation with the Liberal and Democratic Union and the A.N.L., resulting in the formation of the Liberal Union in 1910.
Survived by his wife and four daughters, Copley died at Henley Beach on 16 September 1925, leaving an estate sworn for probate at £5308. His adherence to what 'he believed to be fair and right' had showed particularly in the South African War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
; as an Imperialist, he disliked the South Australian emblem outside Government House, and it 'excited a good deal of public attention' when he removed the flag and demanded that the Union Jack be hoisted. He was reserved but kindly, described by the Observer as 'not a genius' but 'a good, capable, inflexibly honest legislator'. The town of Copley
Copley, South Australia
Copley is a town in Australia. At the 2006 census, Copley had a population of 104.The township adjacent to Leigh Creek Railway Station was officially dedicated as the Town of Copley by a proclamation published on 27 August 1891...
commemorates him.