William West-Erskine

(Redirected from W. A. E. West-Erskine)

William Alexander Erskine West-Erskine , M.A., (12 September 1839[1] – 25 October 1892[2]) was a politician in South Australia.

William West-Erskine
Member of the South Australian House of Assembly for Mount Barker
In office
27 December 1871 (1871-12-27) – 21 April 1876 (1876-04-21)
Member of the South Australian House of Assembly for Encounter Bay
In office
10 October 1878 (1878-10-10) – April 1881 (1881-04)
Commissioner of Public Works
In office
3 June 1875 (1875-06-03) – 2 February 1876 (1876-02-02)
PremierJames Boucaut
Member of the South Australian Legislative Council for Southern District
In office
8 May 1885 (1885-05-08) – 11 July 1891 (1891-07-11)
Personal details
Born
William Alexander Erskine West

(1839-09-12)12 September 1839
Annamoe, County Wicklow
Died25 October 1892(1892-10-25) (aged 53)
England
Parents
  • William James West (father)
  • Elmina Erskine (mother)
Alma materChrist Church, Oxford

West-Erskine was the eldest son of Rev. William James West, M.A., Rector of Delgany, Ireland, by his marriage with Elmina, eldest surviving daughter and co-heir of Alexander Erskine, of Bulhall, county Forfar, and Longhaven, county Aberdeen, was born at Annamoe, County Wicklow, Ireland, and was educated at Christ Church, Oxford.[1] Having emigrated to South Australia, he was member for Mount Barker in the South Australian House of Assembly from 1872 to 1875, including eight months as Commissioner of Public Works in the Boucaut Government from June 1875 to February 1876.

He attended the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, United States as a commissioner for South Australia in 1876.[2]

Following his return to South Australia he was elected as member for Encounter Bay from 1878 to 1881.[1] West-Erskine was elected to the South Australian Legislative Council in May 1885, but retired in 1891,[3] when he returned to England.[1] In 1872 he assumed the name of Erskine, by royal licence, in addition to his patronymic.[1]

He was a member of the council of the University of Adelaide from its inception in 1874 until he left the colony in 1891.[2]

West-Erskine never married and died in England on 25 October 1892.[2]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e Mennell, Philip (1892). "West-Erskine, William Alexander Erskine" . The Dictionary of Australasian Biography. London: Hutchinson & Co – via Wikisource.
  2. ^ a b c d "Death of Mr. West-Erskine". South Australian Register. 27 October 1892. p. 5. Retrieved 26 August 2014 – via Trove.
  3. ^ "William Alexander West-Erskine". Former members of the Parliament of South Australia. Retrieved 20 December 2022.

 

Political offices
Preceded by Commissioner of Public Works
3 Jun 1875 – 2 Feb 1876
Succeeded by
South Australian House of Assembly
Preceded by Member for Mount Barker
1871–1876
Served alongside:
James Ramsay, Albert Landseer
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member for Encounter Bay
1878–1881
Served alongside:
John Parsons
Succeeded by