Parliamentary Service |
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Electorates
- MLC Toodyay 11 March 1873 (by-election)–29 September 1874
- Contested Toodyay 12 December 1890
- MLC East Province 16 July 1894–22 July 1907
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Personal Information |
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19 December 1839 |
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Fremantle, Western Australia |
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22 July 1907 |
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Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
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Northam Cemetery, Western Australia |
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James McLean, sea captain, and Ann Ellen Pratt
Brother of Andrew Dempster, farmer and politician |
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Married 5 March 1867, St Johns Church, Albany to Mary Margaret Taylor (born circa 1838 and died 1917), daughter of Patrick and Mary Yates Bussell
Children: three sons and four daughters |
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Church of England |
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Lowe’s School, Fremantle
Reverend Dacres Williams’ School, Guildford
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Farmer |
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1870 developed station Fraser Range
1866 manager family property Buckland at Northam
Purchased Springfield, 1,560 acres near Northam, and was farming at Wongamine |
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Toodyay Road Board 1872–1873, 1885–1886
Northam Road Board 1886–1889, 1892–1897, chairman for many years |
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1860s various explorations with brother Andrew, C Harper and BD Clarkson
1864 with brothers first European settlers in Esperance district
1872 inherited property in Northam and Toodyay from Charles Pratt (grandfather) 1874 with brothers purchased Toodyay steam mill, store and Vine Cottage
1877 to Vine Cottage
1880 won awards for flour at Melbourne Colonial Exhibition, 1886 sold steam mill and store to George Throssell
1888 searching for better route from Northam to Yilgarn
1884 foundation member Northam and Newcastle (Toodyay) Settlers’ Association, an early proponent of loans to small farmers
Prominent in horse breeding and racing
Foundation member Northam Race Club, an inaugural steward, then secretary
Member of Western Australian Turf Club
Justice of the Peace 1888 |
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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. 63. |
Bibliography |
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