Mr William Arthur HOLMAN (1871 - 1934)**

Date of Birth: 04/08/1871 Place of Birth: Clapham, London, England Date of Death: 05/06/1934 Place of Death: Gordon, New South Wales, Australia

Parliamentary Service

Position Start End Period Notes Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 27 Jul 1898 18 Feb 1920 21yr(s) 6mth(s) 23day(s) Member for Grenfell 27 Jul 1898 11 Jun 1901 2yr(s) 10mth(s) 16day(s) 18th (1898 - 1901) Member for Grenfell 3 Jul 1901 16 Jul 1904 3yr(s) 14day(s) 19th (1901 - 1904) Member for Cootamundra 6 Aug 1904 5 Jul 1906 1yr(s) 10mth(s) 30day(s) 20th (1904 - 1907) Member for Cootamundra 28 Jul 1906 19 Aug 1907 1yr(s) 23day(s) 20th (1904 - 1907) Member for Cootamundra 10 Sep 1907 14 Sep 1910 3yr(s) 5day(s) 21st (1907 - 1910) Member for Cootamundra 14 Oct 1910 6 Nov 1913 3yr(s) 24day(s) 22nd (1910 - 1913) Member for Cootamundra 6 Dec 1913 21 Feb 1917 3yr(s) 2mth(s) 16day(s) 23rd (1913 - 1917) Member for Cootamundra 24 Mar 1917 18 Feb 1920 2yr(s) 10mth(s) 26day(s) 24th (1917 - 1920) Attorney General and Minister of Justice 21 Oct 1910 1 Apr 1912 1yr(s) 5mth(s) 12day(s) Attorney General 1 Apr 1912 29 Jun 1913 1yr(s) 2mth(s) 29day(s) Colonial Secretary and Attorney General 30 Jun 1913 29 Jan 1914 7mth(s) Premier 30 Jun 1913 12 Apr 1920 6yrs 9mths 14days Colonial Secretary 29 Jan 1914 30 Oct 1918 4yr(s) 9mth(s) 2day(s) Minister of Public Instruction 6 Mar 1915 15 Mar 1915 10day(s) Case of Thomas Buckley, Public Works Department Committee No. 7 30 Aug 1898 23 Dec 1898 3mths 24days 18th (1898 - 1901) Case of Thomas Buckley – Public Works Department Committee No.17 7 Nov 1899 20 Dec 1899 1mth 14days 18th (1898 - 1901) Action of Mr.Chisholm, Police Magistrate at Wollongong, in the case of Morgan v. Clift Committee No. 22 21 Nov 1899 30 Nov 1899 10days 18th (1898 - 1901) Claim of Mr. J. L. Davidson, Paddington Committee No. 12 3 Jul 1900 13 Sep 1900 2mths 11days 18th (1898 - 1901) Dismissal of Mrs. Abraham, Shaftesbury Girls Asylum Committee No. 8 3 Jul 1900 1 Dec 1900 4mths 29days 18th (1898 - 1901) Municipal District of Inverell Reduced Area Bill Committee No.13 24 Jul 1900 18 Oct 1900 2mths 25days 18th (1898 - 1901) Case of William Reid Committee No.18 28 Aug 1900 20 Nov 1900 2mths 24days 18th (1898 - 1901) Chairman Proposed Government Alignment of Flood-street Leichhardt Committee No.22 6 Sep 1900 29 Nov 1900 2mths 24days 18th (1898 - 1901) Standing Orders Committee No.5 8 Aug 1901 20 Dec 1901 4mths 13days 19th (1901 - 1904) Claim of Mr John Leonard against the Public Works Department Committee No.8 17 Jun 1902 19 Dec 1902 6mths 3days 19th (1901 - 1904) Chairman Standing Orders Committee No.4 17 Jun 1902 20 Dec 1902 6mths 4days 19th (1901 - 1904) Proposed Government Alignment of Flood street, Leichhardt Committee No.21 28 Nov 1902 9 Dec 1902 12days 19th (1901 - 1904) Standing Orders Committee No.4 1 Jul 1903 1 Dec 1903 5mths 1day 19th (1901 - 1904) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 24 Aug 1904 1 Dec 1904 3mths 8days 19th (1901 - 1904) Chairman Standing Orders Committee No.3 21 Sep 1904 9 Nov 1904 1mth 20days 19th (1901 - 1904) Case of Henry Harding, W.S Stead, and others – Certificate of Title Committee No.7 27 Sep 1904 14 Dec 1904 2mths 18days 19th (1901 - 1904) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 14 Jun 1905 9 Dec 1905 5mths 26days 20th (1904 - 1907) Standing Orders Committee No.3 28 Jun 1905 9 Dec 1905 5mths 12days 20th (1904 - 1907) Landlord and Tenant (Amendment) Bill Committee No.11 8 Aug 1905 26 Sep 1905 1mth 19days 20th (1904 - 1907) Drummoyne Municipal Lands Sale Bill Committee No.21 3 Nov 1905 4 Dec 1905 1mth 2days 20th (1904 - 1907) Testator’s Family Maintenance Committee No.23 28 Nov 1905 9 Dec 1905 12days 20th (1904 - 1907) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 5 Jul 1906 18 Dec 1906 5mths 14days 20th (1904 - 1907) Case of Henry Harding, W.S Stead and others – Certificate of Title Committee No.7 21 Aug 1906 27 Nov 1906 3mths 7days 20th (1904 - 1907) David Berry Hospital Bill Committee No.14 22 Nov 1906 6 Dec 1906 15days 20th (1904 - 1907) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 22 Oct 1907 15 Nov 1907 25days 21st (1907 - 1910) Standing Orders Committee No.2 24 Oct 1907 20 Dec 1907 1mth 27days 21st (1907 - 1910) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 12 Mar 1908 11 Apr 1908 1mth 21st (1907 - 1910) Standing Orders Committee No.2 13 Mar 1908 11 Apr 1908 30days 21st (1907 - 1910) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 23 Jul 1908 19 Dec 1908 4mths 27days 21st (1907 - 1910) Library Committee No.4 5 Aug 1908 19 Dec 1908 4mths 15days 21st (1907 - 1910) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 13 Jul 1909 17 Dec 1909 5mths 5days 21st (1907 - 1910) Library Committee No.4 14 Jul 1909 17 Dec 1909 5mths 4days 21st (1907 - 1910) Lease Conversion and Law Amendment Bill Committee No.7 10 Aug 1909 9 Dec 1909 3mths 30days 21st (1907 - 1910) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 21 Jun 1910 20 Aug 1910 2mths 21st (1907 - 1910) Library Committee No.4 28 Jun 1910 20 Aug 1910 1mth 24days 21st (1907 - 1910) Lease Conversion and Law Amendment Bill Committee No.7 7 Jul 1910 20 Aug 1910 1mth 14days 21st (1907 - 1910) Standing Orders Committee No.3 30 Nov 1910 23 Dec 1910 24days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Printing Committee No.6 30 May 1911 13 Jul 1911 1mth 14days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Refreshment Committee No.5 30 May 1911 1 Aug 1911 2mths 3days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Library Committee No.4 30 May 1911 1 Aug 1911 2mths 3days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Standing Orders Committee No.3 30 May 1911 1 Aug 1911 2mths 3days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Operations of the Australian Jockey Club Committee No.8 13 Jun 1911 1 Aug 1911 1mth 20days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Case of Henry Harding W.S Stead, and others – Certificate of Title Committee No.12 4 Jul 1911 1 Aug 1911 29days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Claims of Harry K.Carpenter Committee No.16 18 Jul 1911 1 Aug 1911 15days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Printing Committee No.6 12 Sep 1911 27 Mar 1911 22nd (1910 - 1913) Refreshment Committee No.5 12 Sep 1911 28 Mar 1912 6mths 17days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Standing Orders Committee No.3 12 Sep 1911 28 Mar 1912 6mths 17days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Case of Henry Harding, W.S Stead and others – Certificate of Title Committee No.9 4 Oct 1911 18 Oct 1911 15days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Claims of Mr Gustave William Engel Committee No.13 10 Oct 1911 18 Oct 1911 9days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Claims of Harry K.Carpenter Committee No.14 10 Oct 1911 22 Nov 1911 1mth 13days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Claims of Robert Roberts, late Bookbinder in the Registrar-General’s Department Committee No.17 19 Oct 1911 2 Nov 1911 15days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Claims of Robert Roberts, late Bookbinder in the Registrar-General’s Department Committee No.17 19 Oct 1911 2 Nov 1911 15days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Operations of the Australian Jockey Club Committee No.22 20 Feb 1912 28 Mar 1912 1mth 9days 22nd (1910 - 1913) City Tattersalls Club Committee No.9 13 Sep 1912 19 Sep 1912 7days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Parliamentary Accommodation Committee No.14 8 Nov 1912 5 Dec 1912 28days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Library Committee No.4 6 Aug 1913 15 Oct 1913 2mths 10days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Standing Orders Committee No.3 6 Aug 1913 15 Oct 1913 2mths 10days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Printing Committee No.6 6 Aug 1913 15 Oct 1913 2mths 10days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Refreshment Committee No.5 6 Aug 1913 15 Oct 1913 2mths 10days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Library Committee No. 3 11 Mar 1914 18 Apr 1914 1mth 8days 23rd (1913 - 1917) Standing Orders Committee No. 4 11 Mar 1914 18 Apr 1914 1mth 8days 23rd (1913 - 1917) Refreshment Committee No. 5 11 Mar 1914 18 Apr 1914 1mth 8days 23rd (1913 - 1917) Printing Committee No. 6 11 Mar 1914 18 Apr 1914 1mth 8days 23rd (1913 - 1917) Library Committee No. 3 22 Jul 1914 23 Feb 1915 7mths 2days 23rd (1913 - 1917) Standing Orders Committee No. 4 22 Jul 1914 23 Feb 1915 7mths 2days 23rd (1913 - 1917) Refreshment Committee No. 5 22 Jul 1914 23 Feb 1915 7mths 2days 23rd (1913 - 1917) Printing Committee No. 6 22 Jul 1914 23 Feb 1915 7mths 2days 23rd (1913 - 1917) Standing Orders Committee No. 3 2 Jul 1915 13 Apr 1916 9mths 12days 23rd (1913 - 1917) Refreshment Committee No. 4 2 Jul 1915 13 Apr 1916 9mths 12days 23rd (1913 - 1917) Printing Committee No. 5 2 Jul 1915 13 Apr 1916 9mths 12days 23rd (1913 - 1917) Library Committee No. 6 2 Jul 1915 13 Apr 1916 9mths 12days 23rd (1913 - 1917) Petition of Thomas Michael Slattery Committee No. 7 6 Jul 1915 13 Apr 1916 9mths 8days 23rd (1913 - 1917) The King's Message Committee No. 10 10 Aug 1915 13 Apr 1916 8mths 4days 23rd (1913 - 1917)

Political Party Activity

Australian Labor Party (ALP). Member of the central executive 1897, 1904, 1906-12, 1914-16, deputy leader 1905, leader 1913-16; formed National Ministry after break with Labor over conscription 1916, campaign director of New South Wales National in 1926, president of National Association 1917- 1920, vice-president 1920-1929, 1931-1932.

Qualifications, occupations and interests

Lawyer (barrister) and cabinet-maker. Educated in London. At fifteen apprenticed as cabinet-maker. Arrived in Melbourne with parents 1888, shortly afterwards journeyed to Sydney; worked at his trade but increasingly involved in lecturing and organising for Labor Leagues and briefly as organiser for Australia Workers' Union; part-owner and subeditor New Order 1894; part-owner and director of Daily Post 1895, the financial management of which led to charge of conspiracy to defraud and two months in gaol before conviction quashed. Contributor Grenfell Vedette 1895-1898, proprietor 1898-1904; read for Bar, admitted 1903, considerable practice mainly industrial; constitutional and common law; director of Sunday Times 1924-1926; in youth active Sydney. School of Arts Debating Society; Member Single Tax League 1890, Australia Socialist League 1891; delegate to the Trades and Labour Council (TLC) in 1892 for furnishing trades union; Executive Member Australia National Defence League 1905; Joint President of French-Australia League of Help 1914; Executive Member of Universal Service League 1915-1916; President of Food for Babies. Author with P.A. Jacobs of Australian Mercantile Law 1909, with D.R. Hall (q.v.) Cost of Living 1915, A National Stocktaking 1930, Three Lectures on the Australian Constitution 1938.

Honours Received

King's Counsel (KC) in 1920

Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held

Member of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. Member of the House of Representatives for Martin 1931 until 1934.

Personal

Son of William and Martha May Bingley. Married Ada Augusta Kidgell on 22 Jan 1901 and had issue 1 daughter.

Additional Information

Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 9 Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: 1. William Arthur Holman - papers, 1893 - 1935 (MLMSS 111). 2. Holman family - papers, 1866 - 1936 (MLMSS112).

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