John George Barrett (1858-1928) Edmund Barton (1849-1920)

Senator for Victoria 1901-1903 Member for Hunter (New South Wales) 1901-1903

ohn Barrett was born in Carlton, Barrett was elected as a Labor Senator dmund Barton was born in Glebe, Sydney, In December 1900 the Governor-General JMelbourne, Victoria. Although he had for Victoria at the first federal election. ENew South Wales. He graduated from the commissioned Barton to form a ministry for no secondary schooling, he had a strong A member of a number of committees, University of Sydney in 1868 and 1870 and was the Commonwealth of Australia. Barton was intellectual interest in history and politics and, Barrett left the Labor Party and was defeated admitted to the Bar in 1871. Barton was a elected unopposed to the seat of Hunter at following the example of his father, became at the 1903 election which he contested as member of the New South Wales Parliament the first federal election in March 1901. active in trade unionism and industry reforms. an independent. 1879-91 and 1897-99, and was Speaker 1883- He was Prime Minister and Minister for A tinsmith by trade, he co-founded the 87 and Attorney-General 1889 and 1891-93. External Affairs in the first Commonwealth Victorian Tinsmiths Society, and from 1893 to Barrett spent the years after his federal Government. Elected on a moderate 1901 was Secretary of the Trades Hall Council. service dedicated to temperance work. Barton was a delegate at the National protectionist platform, Barton managed to Barrett was the member for Carlton South in He tried twice to re-enter state politics but Australasian Convention in 1891 and assisted unite a fragmented Parliament and in less the Victorian Legislative Assembly 1895-97. was unsuccessful. the Drafting Committee which produced the than three years in office steered a raft of version of the Constitution Bill endorsed by foundation legislation through the Parliament. the Convention. During the early 1890s he took over the leadership of the federation Barton resigned as Prime Minister in movement, working tirelessly to establish September 1903 to become senior puisne federation leagues and to rally support for judge of the new High Court of Australia. federation in the New South Wales There, until his death in 1920, he Parliament. A delegate to the Australasian distinguished himself as an impartial and Federal Convention of 1897-98, he was elected discerning judge dedicated to interpreting leader and chaired the Drafting and the Constitution which he had helped to write. Constitutional committees. When the colonies Barton was appointed a Privy Councillor in voted “Yes” at the referenda on the 1901 and knighted in 1902. Constitution Bill, he led a delegation to Britain to monitor the passage of the Bill through the British Parliament.

The state of Victoria was also represented in the first Senate by: The electorate of Hunter was named after John Hunter (1737–1821), second Governor Simon Fraser Sir William Austin Zeal Sir Frederick Thomas Sargood of New South Wales.

Robert Wallace Best James Styles