William Henley Rawlings

William Henley Rawlings (28 February 1848 – 5 August 1906) was a member of both the Queensland Legislative Council and the Queensland Legislative Assembly.[1]

William Rawlings
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Woothakata
In office
20 May 1893 – 11 April 1896
Preceded byWilliam Little
Succeeded byJohn Newell
Member of the Queensland Legislative Council
In office
12 July 1906 – 5 August 1906
Personal details
Born
William Henley Rawlings

(1848-10-14)14 October 1848
Bristol, England
Died5 August 1906(1906-08-05) (aged 57)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Resting placeToowong Cemetery
NationalityEnglish Australian
Political partyLabour Party
OccupationUnion organiser, Miner

Early life

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Rawlings was born near Bristol, England, to William Rawlings and his wife Margaret Eliza (née Edwards).[1] Trained for the sea, he sailed to Sydney in 1869 and on to New Zealand where he engaged in seafaring on the west coast for several years.[2] In 1875, he was back in Australia and working as a miner in the Parkes goldfields.[2]

Moving to Queensland and settling in the Herberton district in 1883, he undertook several jobs including labourer, assayer, miner, and prospector.[2] By 1890, he was working as an Organiser for the Charters Towers Miners' Union.[1]

Political career and death

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Rawlings was nominated as the Labour Party candidate for the seat of Woothakata in the 1893 colonial election. Victorious over his competitors William Little and W.M. Bonar,[3] he held the seat for three years before losing to John Newell in the 1896 election.[4]

Rawlings was appointed to the Queensland Legislative Council in July 1906[5] but served for less than a month before his death in August of that year.[1] His funeral proceeded from the home of Michael Woods at Spring Hill to Parliament House, and then on to the Toowong Cemetery.[2][6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d "Death of the Hon. W. H. Rawlings". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 6 August 1906. p. 4. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  3. ^ "GENERAL ELECTION". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 22 May 1893. p. 6. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  4. ^ "THE ELECTIONS". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 13 April 1896. p. 5. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  5. ^ "LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 13 July 1906. p. 5. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  6. ^ Rawlings William Henry — Brisbane City Council Grave Location Search. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by Member for Woothakata
1893–1896
Succeeded by