MP Biographical Register

Alexander Forrest

Parliamentary Service

House

MLA

Party

Forrest

Date Elected

1 February 1887

Electorate

West Kimberley

Service

Electorates

MLC Kimberley 1 February 1887 (new division)–21 October 1890
MLA West Kimberley 27 November 1890–20 June 1901

Office

Government Whip 1890–1901

Delegations

Western Australian delegate to Australian Federal Convention 1891

Historical Notes

Three Forrest brothers served in the Parliament of Western Australia including Alexander Forrest and his brothers, Sir John and David.

Private Member's Bills

Inaugural Speech

Year Retired/Resigned

1901

Personal Information

Birth date

22 September 1849

Place of birth

Picton, Western Australia

Death date

20 June 1901

Cause of death

Place of death

Perth, Western Australia

Cemetery

Karrakatta Cemetery, Western Australia

Arrived in WA

Parents

William, miller, and Margaret Guthrie Hill

Marriage and Family

Brother of David Forrest, farmer and politician, and John Forrest , Premier 1890–1901 and surveyor
Married 15 January 1880, residence of bride’s father of Beverley to Amy Eliza Edward Barrett-Lennard (born 14 November 1854), daughter of Edward Henry and Eliza Anne Smith
Children: four sons and one daughter
Widowed 30 August 1897, London

Religion

Church of England

Education

Bishop Hale’s School 1863–1865

Occupation

Surveyor and businessperson

Employment History

At father’s mill until 1868, training as surveyor 1869–1870
1870 second-in-command, John Forrest’s Adelaide expedition
1871 surveyor-in-charge Albany district for Survey Department, contract surveyor 1871–1880
Led expedition to Hampton Plains in 1871 and again 1876
1874 second-in-command John Forrest’s West–East expedition, Geraldton to overland telegraph line to Adelaide
Six month exploration in 1879 opened up Kimberley district
1880 land agent
1883–1886 agent to Anthony Hordern for land grant railway from Albany to Beverley
Assisted Midland Railway Company with negotiations with Government 1888–1891
1890 began exporting cattle from Kimberleys to Perth, 1894 in partnership with Emanuel Brothers
Shareholder in timber company, invested in gold mining, stock and shares, Albany Advertiser, metropolitan real estate
Partner or shareholder in several sheep stations and farm at Cubbine, near York
Chairman of directors Morning Herald
Director Perth Building Society 1886-1901

Local Government

Mayor of Perth 1892–1895, 1897–1900

Principal Honours

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (1901)

Background/Membership

Chairman Karrakatta Cemetery Board of Trustees 1897–1900
Committee member of Western Australian Turf Club, responsible for establishment of Perth Cup 1887, owner of first winner
As Mayor of Perth established first tramways
With George Leake responsible for subdivision of Peppermint Grove

References

D Black and G Bolton, eds, Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia: volume one 1870-1930, Parliamentary History Project, Perth, WA, 2010, p. 74.

Bibliography

Further Information

G. C. Bolton, 'Forrest, Alexander (1849–1901)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/forrest-alexander-6208/text10671, published first in hardcopy 1981, accessed online 21 December 2015.