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II ! LEAKE FAMILY 1829- j 1902 I Perseverando. The Leake f'amily \ in the political, economic and social lif'e of' W.A. 1829-1902, with particular reference to George Leake I (1786-1849), Sir Luke Samuel Leake (1828-1886), and George Leake (1856- 1902), by Jenny Chapman, Cls.remont \ 35pp.Teachers College, 1.965. Typescript, ( HS/PH/1724
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INTRODOCTION ]n the eighteen-twenties Captain Stirling, returning to Enelanri from a remote new country called New Holland, was being wildly enthusiastic about i1;s possl.bilities ror settlement. He RUggested that a privBte company be formed to plant a new colony in this remote outpost. 'l'he Br4.ti-eh .QQvernment owing to ,the failure of a similar scheme in South AuAtralia would not agree to this, but decided to establish a. cPown colony under itR supervision. The idea of this 11ew colony ceught the imagination of many people anxious to escape the b<'d conditions and low wa~es in England. .No lees did the prospect of this settlement attrect the middle classcfi - the 1'arrnerl:', trttdeRmen and memberR of tl)e professions. None of' those who deluged .the Colonial office for enquiries or w11.o later boarded sli.ip for New Holland seemed to be . rly outstanding, 'bUt there were those who; virtually unknown in their. motherland, were deAtined to become leaders· and statesmen in the colony ot' Western·AuRtralia, and t0 .. 193.:Ve their nam~ wr:-itten. indeliQl,y. on the. pages . -of it.s history_.. I ·'T'hi8 .. thesi~ deals with ·a rarni.ly~ .the L-eakes, who arrived in Western Australia 1829-1.833, an
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• GEORGE k.J2AKE lZ86 18!±2
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• Luke Leake and hir-~ wife 1\nne Head.inE of' nev,ark-Cn-J.'rent, 4 hElrl f'our sons, whOI!I th e;y endowecl wi tb the s turd;:,r names , Georr!,e, John an(1 '."tllie.m. Little if'. i·:nown of their · in l•;nt~lfind, but they werE;;. probably rniddle-C!less rnerchante. :i,o certain, however, i;.; that in the late elghteen-t.wenties f'amily cor:::·;j_:;:tin.e; o1' f.:rl-l. /!nne Lec,.Ke, now a wido·.v-, LuJ-::e, ee and t'liF_ danghter Anne, decided to migrflte tc the colon;y l~'estern -f..ustralia. George's wif'e had died in 1815, leaviDg with onF: dane:hter, who WH :--· EdYbut fourt.een ye:ar2 olr; when ca:rJ(:: to ·r,'.A. O.lcl Ers. Lc::"j~:e wa;;; 0\1 er.·-~ix.ty.,--a1-±d--it.i.s ______bute to her courage cm'd love for her f&mily that she -uproot her~t::2.f' f'rom the Engli c:h home in which she had __ ed all ·her l j r·e and uridertoke the arduous journey to a 1 new lando Lflter o:n,- ,J~e Robe~te wae to ooj this of'
11 1 lcoked at her ond thouuht o£' a m13ther' s love A It never lfieElrieA, and t·hmJ;zh '"1'1-fiY~- ·• ·:·· • hB"{f. touched t:u:~P- f'orru and r<'lCe, Rtill, ir; he.r exert icns ::t:or J'.it:r· childrer1 ...... she i'el t not its cower, -r- hut tolhecl oi' the sea end thh :storrD ·v,ithout a nn:trn1ur, t6r her eyer; reRtecJ Cm thoee she.loved.a (;_J She was evidentd.y contt;::r_d... , f'or her moti:ve f'or coming_ ~o was to be with thone Rhe lovedo ll.. 'ffit about her sons? ·ee Wb g evidently EJ man of' some me8r.CJ, !'or he broue.ht _w,;L, th six servants and vroperty which ~~vouid entitle him to cit st .l:C•,C1 00 acr.es. (2) . He' embarked en the good ship.Calista 1829, and f'ron~ hiF l~?tter td hi:.::. brother John, ___ written le on board ::3hip, .'Nf:' hHve e e-rt~phic EJccount ,of hi£> voyage t!Jt: color1y, ::-1nd f!J. impseR or the writer's own personality.·
He rec:ountn sever<-ll incident:'-1 wrtich occurred on the· a·nc1 show['. alreadj' that he is a man used to a sswnine lie ···writes :-
" J,-t ll a.J_n. 1 read _prayers, .the Captain reading n BcrmorJ, ci's we have c011tinued to do since· we .lef't Enelant~. 11 (3)
!le i~·- a man accustomed to :obee~ving na.tural phenomena, fleen by the description he e;ives,-o.f Portuguese men-qf'-war.
11 They appear to b~lone: to the Rame tribe as the :---;e& DI;enome; their lower part if. a loose jelly of' n bluish-purple c'olo~ with two or more f'ibreR or'f'eele!'J?' pendant.:• (4)
,JEme Roberts; Two Years At Se/?.; London< Richard Bentley l83ll page 86. . . ., .: . . . .. ·- . . .. . : ._ ... _ Georve Leake At· Sea:;- 1N.A.·.H. 8. ·Journal, September 25th, 1931. Letter of' Georg·e Leake .io his brother John. See "George - Leake At Sea"; W.A.H.S.)ourna1, September 25th, 1931.. Ibid. ···"''·' ,, '
I. r 1 ' ! / k;\.',..:_ •. ~-..C..c'----o"'------He showG himRelf to be a kind and considerate master :-
''I hHve i'orgotten poor old Mr. Rye. Continue his allowance and: debit me for it, u (5) He tells his brother that he is enjoying excellent even gives a description of his outfit, interesting ei ves ~·an idea o.f the p~evailing ~:ashions _of' the
1 ' ./\. hoiry cap •• a short jacket or blue caml-et . e yellow waistcoat-." (6)-
George arrived in rTemantle on the 5th August and was som~ months later by his mother and daughter on Atwick, together wit,h hi.s b.ro.ther Luke.. How did these , ple f'eel when deposTf&if on--wlu t seemed to Jane Roberts' _to na dreary waste.u?-··(7) Young Anne Elizabeth i_n,..n 'lette~ a f'rienO in EnElHnd ohserved that one would hardly believe when 2he Raid she was quite happy here. Although she { reg:retted the many l'.:ind f"riends they had lef't in England,~1 still entertained hope,s of'3eeing.tb...Am ag~in.
VYha t a contraf3t there iB between the yout!Y:ful exuberance Anne, and thP. homesicknesc of her Uncle .Luke, as he wri te8 th~7: !'l,y leE1f o"f an old, b<:ittered Latin Gramniar:-
"0 Anglia, AngliA. 1·." quando .te respiciam, ql¥1 · UAor,... CJ.l~8 1'1111 carissima carissimi qua amici f- -- 'l-i1a seti ti!" ( 8 )
Luke' ;;5 wif'e and children did not arrive until 1833, so had several lonely years without them. But there were,. it l plenty of' amusements and diversions in the ·li.ttle colony. , in her letter wrote that &lready they h,iod had a subsc-ription at- the hotel.(9) FriEmdR-of'ten dropped into the L_eakes' '.W1nmRc·at11 F'rerriantle, which was considered to be 11 the best in l ~ {.lo) Jane Roberts describes an afternoon call ·she made and notes that -i , ".Sever8i came in .after tea, m~n of' science - -1 · Bnd speculation who talked learnedly of' the state or the colony, its prospects etc.
Lee.ke's. Ibid. Jane Roberts; op. cit; p.86.
,,,- Book in- possession or Mr. E. Clif'ton, Or(! Street f. _w.,_~t Perth,_ .' This is dated Easter Monday,- April 12-th, -18.30. _-'Oh England, England, when I look beck to thee, how I long _f'or, my dearest,_ . wl.f'"'- chtldren and_ f'rienda!" 11 ' Lett-§!t-'ll'f" A!nne Eliz!'lbeth Leake,- Jan"'fry--:3J:st-, '1830 • Jane Roberts; op. cit,; ~.86. ·--"-·'-'. -·
~ .. , After a t imf! two o±; them were ;c(--:<::r. ted at chess. 6 ·:.'hev were conRidered an equal matqh, pro.(icient at 'the game, Go thE1t the other13 looked on with inte~st." (11)
'I' he Leake 8 were f'ond of' mu s~i cal e veni neA too, and an r•l.Y c.e t tler Georr,e hloore, noted i.r, his diary that he spent ;~Jn eveninp nt the: hor:1e cf' G. Le0ke at J<'rer.ren-tle \Vhere had "some~ e~i!•c rweetly pJHye'J on the pi&noforte b:i • ."<:VPrmot. t oi' mtlr;i c Wti f.' f'rol!l Bon which , 8 tre-:ut here.nPo~; (12) th~ Giove:rlni
GeorLe LeHke lost no time in estahliHhing himself as a 1 o1' 1roe"m'. iie reccei ved one of' the rirP.t f'i ve .land erants, ch hP r.::Edec.teC or1 the ea.~:tward bend of th_e .Bwan_Ri.ver .. --· 1 1Gter sublet; .:m0 on it, one oi' the earliest f'lour tflr...' colony war:: erected~ ·r Al thoueh he had conc.idei:'Bble property, Geore;e went . P~ '.,..-·\ . Ir1 1."83\1,. he became the Govei:'nrHent reside1lt .. ~-ldi.:£»mantle, VIIJJ ch [iORJ hQn che received £10(;• per anNum, ·By· -11f3'5, he . one oi' the richest "men --in the colony, where wealth was a. _,_-_- ty. An eminent visitor to the colony, Li-eutenant ;lunbu:py (15) in 1836 the impoverished state o1' t® colony, that· t woc. dif'l'icul t to procure,' ·the monopoly of' its sale- being ,the hands o1· George Leake and Mr. Brockman, who h~;r.r.nc R of' commer-cial enterpri8e, f'or he wrote :- · ·· 1 Ibid p.86, G.J•'. ;,Joore: IJiarf of' 'l'en Years' Eventf'ul Lif'e of' ··Setqer in \I,A, London: M, Walbrook 18$4) p.hs. An Account of' the ·co'ucher f'amily. .• i M. !ire!;: Land Look ins West ( Oxi'ord ·1948) p.ll2. :y-,__ Lieut,,:Col, W. St, Pierre Bunbury 8!]d W.P. Morrell ~r:· ··, EarlY: J?~ye in W.A,, .Being. tJie_,,L,. • I . . 7 -n'l'he settler with Rmall meanP., having once got_ into deht, finds it next to impossible to extricate h-imself . Mr. Leake, at the present time, ha e. it in his power to ruin . two-thirds o~ the settlers by foreclosing his mor Lgaees. 11 (16) ' But LeH.ke well knew that by do ine so, he would also ruin elf:~, FiR there would. be no buyerfo f'OY. so·--ffiU?:!h Janel, and--:-··--_-_-·: h Uf'. won ld be val ue.le ~'-S ~ Also it would le s2en the con cu.mpt_,ton ·· f' his r>tores by the settlers on this land, stores on Ythich says he made an irnmenRe prof' it. The interest -he charged set tlerR on the land was fairly high - generally 20% per tc· pay for which, Bunbury Ra,ys, ."his unf'ortun.ate debtor s cropB, goes on 'tick'' t0 the store, and yearly gels inyolved. 11 ':_17) ;:·o rJ.eorge Lea~e was a man to reckon with in the_ -:financia.l --i"v.•m"ld of' the littLe colony of' lr::.A~ His exr)erierice aSa inancier was apparently ver,y. hig·hl.'/ valued for in 1837 he ecame r:;hairnlfl.n Of' Directurs oi' the Bank of' W.A. In these ·r s ';:eRtern Jl.ustralia was _11) a state of' severe deprt;!~_sion, -~ to th~ ceesation of' migration, and of overseas inve·stment. is attributed to the Bank of W.A. some of the change to < ·,, tive prosperity in the corning years. (18) The bank lasted four years before it was absorbed into the Bank of -7 le :r:;ia, but not before George Leake Esq. had. succeeded attaining the position of its Dir~ctor. 1 Leetke' s social standing in the colony was high, and he consequently appointed to mm;y po~itions of truRt. He waG mac1e li:aeiEtrute for the territory in 18'89, being the f'irst tv hoJ.O thiR poF:ition in W. .A .• ··rn that year also, he became tht;: .Ch;--l. i I'~J:n of' the Per,t!] ·Town ~.,rust, and la te;r commit ~e_e ·member hW."i (::hairrna.n of the Roads Boord. · .. • J\;: a member .of' the Allclican Church.. , he w8s act.i v... e .-W ib:. EJ1'f':-1irP 1 being appointed a trustee for Church Pr6_oe-rt;y- ·r: emU a mr::mber of the, committee for building -St. George's Church, he himr~elf being a: la:rge subscriber to the building fund-., '-'' As he was a man actively engae:ed in many aspects of' colonird. lif'e, it iA not Rurprising to. f'ind George .L~8.ke aleo ·- inter·t:~-->t.ed in the government of the colony. In the early rJayf.'. of' ·,vef--ltern /,uHtralia '6 political lif'e, Governor Stirling waB tbP. L_ieuteru-lnt Governor,. being assie.ted by a Board o:f Courtcil_.;-Jnrl Audit. ;Later, in 1831, an Order in Council was. 1 ··rN>t~t -l'fuelill]d e-Iying · t:he cci~oriy a .-const.'l:tutlon cons.isting ,._,_ - •1· ---'-----~o-p-.-"c:.:.i_t~;_:_.::;p_.-l-l-:-3o-~---:--=------.-_-•• ·...:.'·~ceo_ ~~~· ·I •' ":;:rtp~~l~~e statieti~s :f 'fi.A. in l84o. Jh28. -·---··-·~-- !I ,, 'I -... ------::I~ ,II' !li ;ill ·--·--. ;,-;- " i '!tf li I' fl the Governor, Colonial Secretary, the f...dvocote General, l~ddition to which a Legif:lBtive Council (selected by the ~nv••rJonr) was provided. -.J~S the power of the Council waE ely limited it was conRidered, by the settlers at least, -.. ,.,_ be highly 1m satisfactory. Accordingly, a memOrial was .! eAented to the Governor requesting that something be done the sitcJation. (19) In 1834., U1e Governor brought the e tru.e~t four tmofficial rnernbers might be added to the c.eg".~"Gtive CpUnCilt each- o:f··which was to be nominated __b_y_ -1;.J:l-e ernor- However, it ,-,aE not nntil l839j_ in Governor Hult''s'---- thnt, thi:--. wa::=. ~)ut into operatior1~ '?he Gove~"nor nor.:incted members of four of the colony's leading families: 7•. ilTiam ";jrockman ,. ':!:'ho:na s Peel, William 'l'ann.er, and George Leake. be~an the long associfl tion which various members of the family were to have. in Western Australian polit.ical irs. t~aturall;£ enough, to be an unofficial member was not ve the opportunity of formulBting any definite political JJUHc,y, but the v<::;riOll~~ !nemherR of the Council, Leake included, their prt=-:sence felt. It is difficult to f3tat?·::"definitely Leake's political opinions were~ but several reports of '"~"r""lciJ. r•roceedin£"::o"' show that he WOE on active speaker.. As grsnQ-nephew, another l}eore:e Leake, was to do in a later ;r iament, he in~.iPted on the necessity of members of the iC<>Uncil to ft.ave a. pro'per plBce set aHide for .. :them, where they con:.;ifler the vtir1ouG docurnentH which were laid·-befora ..("( 20)....:.-: m ar1G where they coulcl study 8nd have a thorough understa:r1ding~~ .suc.h1 Hrt..icler: aE jt wan their duty to do. It can be seen n; c;eoree ~ t!Li~·=.,~ thut Lerd·:e tool{ hiF· puhlic dutieR very '.: .. our;.ly. He V!Ould never r~eS.itBte to. spE-•)K out on any subject "'''n"' which he felt 2trongly, for he war; a humane~spir1ted nan.-,.. the:: Color1iol f~ecretc;ry BroLJn died, he proposed that a sum~· £1(10 i1e set O:-Juide f'or the wldow and faif:ily. He was opposed other rnemberf'. ot' the Council ori the matter because it was ic1 tlw t there h::1d been no preeeden t for f",uch an arrangement • .. · rt:rJltecJ however : ..:._ 11 1. do I1ot,. ~iee why Gov:rnr;lei:rt:.· serva"rJte. ·sh;ui·(j" do . · - worm~ than .thost emploYed in commerce; .most_,..- ·"1"'· i'irt!!S of respectaiJili ty make it -a po.int to. P.u_pport the widowf--l and children of those clerks who· had serve<) them long"; (21 ). Pr;rh't1pr; this concern for' the Brauns was only a matter J'am:ily intereF.t on Leake- 1 s part (22 }-.. but it shows some of' hi El concern for otherH which made him so respected in the COriiiTil11li ty ~ HiH many ·chari tie fi were distributed11 vd th a lack of o~•.tt·mtc1tion unusu.a.l for those tiffies. 0ften", it was .said, 11 the recipi!-::ntP of hi F. boUnty were .. · . ~ , • ignor_a·nt of the kind ,;. Colebetch. 1'he FirRt Hundred Yeaps. ;·--'i-;.- The In<.tuirer, Vleds. April 5th, 1848 • .Ibid • ... .., George Leake' 8' IJ.aughter Anne Leake. married he~ ch.ildhood sweetheart Robert McBride Broun. Mount Anne was. nfl.Jil'!Si. • 1hf!T;· hy· P.r·oun ~-- 9 thbt ministered to them. 11 (23) OJC the 31Rt of May, l8L,g, after a lingering illnesn of weeks dt1rc1tion, George Leake dled, and the Inquirer for week onlJounced to it H readerR ; - -~·---- 11 lt- {8 --\.\lrfJ)- -eJ~ti'E!i!i"f§- -f'f!gi:'~-t---r_tn:rt· Ne liBve--;-----.-----;-·~------ to announce to otlY' PE-:aderf-1 lhe iicG.ti! of' or1e· t>f' the oldest and moRt esteemed of our coloniRts''. (24) In hi[": Obituary Nolice it teile that Leake· was_ 11 he1oved both aH a husbar1d and a·'f'ritmd, egteemed ss a ]{ind and liberal landlord, (25) resper:ted as a leeiPlator. Hie loss, both j_r~ the f;OC l.G l l:ln 1~ notice was J. FiRUed fror.1 the Governor, via the Colonial tar,y 1 s Off.ice expressing sentiments o.f.regret at· Leake"s se, Hncl 6c·c(nmtine- him as -une of' tJie outstanding membe·rs <" his B_oc~ety. { 27) .,. I~r..eordirll~ to the orderr- o.f the e:overnrnent, Leak;e was ven v puUlic _.funer_,;tl, __ wt.t.h al:t 8 ccompanying ceremoriy. So ssed the fii•st of. the Leakes, whlch were to leave their mes om the annnls of Western P.ustralia. His achievements n cnrvir1e a place for hirnRelf' in a colony which had nearly t itEelt.' to ruin were remarkablet· and it was persons like sel:f__ -who· hel-ped to bri'ng about an~ inCrease of confiden·ce . - ·pror.:.:perity to t4e --~u..ng G~atelt.- J:-:110 example was not ten\ f'or menihi::rs_·e~- subseqUent generations._:..Qf... ~t.he I,e~e. 1 .J.y were deRt_ined' to: fnllow him with dir.tirlction in the· i ticn 1 and economic lif'e of' the country. -· The Inf}_1lirer, .Jul)e ~th, 1849. Ibid. Bunbury 1 s v-ievn~ notw~ the tanding! Inquirer·. Notice from the Colonial'· Secretary's ·office, publiehed in. Perth Gazett2, 8th June, ·1849·, ... .-····' / ~"'--,..:..______'----..,_.:,' ___ ~ Li) ... -~' _-_! il I ; ------~~-- I ------I SIR LUKE LEAKE 1828 1886 ·, .... : .. 'i' I 1 George Leake set a pattern, which later members or f! f'ami ly were to t'oJ.low - tho t of Rerving with distinction the . .government oi' the colony. Jiie presence as one of' :first four unof':ficial membe!'A: of' the Legislative Council to mark the fi.rst step in the long roed to the democratic wh 1 ch W8 s to emerge eo me 60 years later. i Georee .Leake' A h~ot+ler Luke, with whom he was in II ~,:r_shi.P. _in the mercb.and.i$e. business .. J.mtiL.. th-e--l-a-t..-t..eP-~-&------, in 18?)8 hcH1 four chtldren: Georee lF-falpole 1. Johr:: 'I'homa.:s, e Pamuel 0ncl Ctltherine il_nne. Of'-t,lwse George &Itd Lci:e to carpy -on the name of' Lea.k:e wi t.h difitincti.bn in col-onial irs, and their presence in po~i_tics was t.Q_.mark a·.f'urther ge in tne political lif'e.of ~:l.A. As representative ok next Rtflee, we shall consider Luke .;::.amuel Leake, l8 ter ·to Sir Luke Leake, and_ Speaker of' the Legi-slative Cormcil. I Little if-:. known of' hi$ early life, except that he I. ived _in F1'estern Australia ln 18.33 (28j all t.he Cygnet. th ·h].:--~--- l{Jother Mary Anne LeaKe,. h].s two bra there Jolm. and e, and hif~ si'Ster Catherine. T.he next shlp af'ter that brou£ht Lnke LeaY.:e "I;..Q Perth signalled the practical r tion of' imrnigrotion to thef?e shoreo. The settlers who come· to 1V.A. in the prevtous years, expecting .to·-rir:.d~ sort o:f climatic and economic Utopia were to be bitt,rl~ """'~'~"'v"_.,ted. Land was r;ranted in propor-tion to the amount. invested in the colony, and. very soon the best land Perth had been taken up by a i'ew weal thy settlers. . -., ng to lack o.f' conununications and o.r exploration, settlers unwilling to advance over th~ Da~ling ·ecarp and con~ntly, e of' the land shortage, speculation was rif'e. 'I'he result + that Little land was -beine- cultiVdted and the s~mll colony s on the veree of' ruin. The state o.f the small settler 8 already heen described by 8uTJbury in his ·journa1.(29) s naturally enough led to a decrease in con.f'idence_- ori the ·of' thf; inveAtorF in EnH"land, and wi·tb it the cessatio.n immigratiOn., rl'he eneuing years did, not bring outstanding 11 OP.peri ty to the country. Alarmed at the ncinderell-.a · state 'N.A • .in comparison- with the other states, the Government Hk.ed ,that Convicts -be sent out, and in 1850, t·he f"irs_t ment arrived. Luke Leake grew up in this smallr 'colony, where lif'e most people waR a continuing struggle to keep body and ul to2"ether. But the Leakes were some of the .mor~ _{g~tunat-e_~..!>-_ "• who by clint- of' sheer hard work, combined with exceptional ili ty, f{ll;lTl.Sf~ed t,o attain prosperity. Following in th'e tRtepH of' hiR f'ather, the elder Luke, Luke Samuel went to tht: merchant trr-tde, in which, as all the Leakes seemed_ to , he impresRed all who knew him by his sincerity and vious He WB 8 4-b years old when ··ne· arrived in w.A. Lieut. H1W, Bunbury; op. _cit. l., t.· .----- 1 12 --" ).' . .-~ . ,-, t-~ Lvk~: .t.~~ '·'- "J I -:;. financial affairs. He managed to retain the Leake i.n the commercial life of W.A., and know the details of his enterprise, it·was "1851 placed him through successful commercial operations in easy, if not affluent circumstances. 11 (30) , I · He was a bip; man 1 tn every senP.e of' the -word ~- strone,. -· _:__ vlly built wit!-~:-?, v1rarn! 1 e;enP-rouE expar:E).ve nature to match.(31) • As one of VI.A.'s most prominent citizens, it waa na-tural he should participate fully in the social life of.the • That heuid ~o, iR particularly evident in the part ·played in the lifd of' the first Perth Volunteer Infemtry • In 1861, there wae·a meeting of Perth citizens, with object of' asking authority to raise a corps of Voluhteer I, ntryrner., in number ahout 100. This was duly given, i· I ment of volunteer<; t.ook place, drilling under Lt. Colonel ·----~------' ·! commenced, and the Perth Volunteer Ri:fles whic·h was to for ten yearp. wae formed. In its ranks were to be found of' the prominent gentlemen of Perth, so thst the corps ..· #'. I me a gathering of the socially elite. Naturally enough, '·, Leake joined the ranks at i tEl inception in 1861. The·' . ' ,v~rn.mRnt Gazette of 6th August, 1867,-which announced the < tion of the corps, also announced the appointment of --1-- Samuel Leake as the Captain COmmanding, a rank which he for the ten years of its existence. The Corps attended civil functions and parades irr-¥erth and it is that on the occasion of the opening of the Town Hal-l .. June 1870, ::aytain Leake was present 'Wi-th his militia. 'rhe CJovernme~t had agreed to assist the Corps to the of lOs. a year for. each volunteer,and later raised to 15s. However, the dbpression of the l870'·s broug~:+t ut the with-holding of the annual grant by the Executiv:e -· cil. Ca.ptain Lealte protested strongly aga1nst this proposal, in vain. /,s a f~_[i.B._l act of protest, he resigrl'ed-his · ' ARion (9th February, 1872). ·Without him, the Corps fell" m to incompetent leadership and was finally disbanded for ordination. (32) ' · The 1870's which brought about the disbanding of the f'le Vol1.mteerR, also ushered in another stage o:f the tic<~l deve'lopment.·of 'N.A., and with it brought. the beginning he political 'life of LUkes. Leake •. The Imperial Act: 0f , made provision for Borne sOrt of representative goVer~nt,·· t. apply to w.A. because one of the 'conditione was that · should be paid out of colonial revenue, which W.A. West Australian 5th May, 1886. ,..Ib~.d; , , ., G •. l.". Vlieck; . The .-volunteer Movement .in \'I..A. 1 1s6r.;~,··or·-..c--"-=:=.;:: (Pat,rson Brokensha) P,. 78 + '. " --- - ~ -~·.,_·-· ., -~-~-·- ~, J;uld lll >d'forcl ''t thl (iren t wtn~ the excitement on ·-~'ednesda,y, 19th October, the Pl.Ar::ti 11 1fote for D.Ll thf' candidates, hecause all were in favottr of' 'nbundant hE~rvests, no taxation :d1d otli~r f.~()or'J. tlli.ncn' above all a ''clean :'weer.~ of' envernn1ent of'fices' 11 • /1. i':ndr-d w1 t11 the e.xhortH tfon to : 1 '' /IJtr-· e:trly, vote of'ten, come one, come all!" (34) r;olourp were fldopted :for_ the variouF~--.ca·ndJd,ates __ Mr .• Leaketa T'f:r1 nnd 1~r-een. Thf' Ae were worn hy- hiR supporters. II Letter to the Enitor; W.A. Gazette. October; 1870 • . -- .. ,. -·- • W.A. Gazette, 2lat October, 1870 • .,...... - ··-.,., .:;-= 1 5 ~if ~ -~ I 1 ~. .. ,.. .-# .,.:6:·.r,y J. _,I . -~ ' 1 t:Ju,:l , it:..'' Lo'u..be bE:loncint; to Oir .LUKe l..t:ake 1 1::. :Jt. 7Cor.<.:e' [;·- i't:rr.;~.cc, 1-~::l't(J •.u.f.:: ~ 1 Jear:er b ,.i.J.!u,~:l' Wd. .... fiL . .L.: .. in ti .. l: .-it:<.- t ·{cir.c· dinn'-( i1•e. r,.u, .. oi' tt11t-. how·.e . • i •.• I ------~- 1 6 t ;~~-- Voting took place e the Town Hall, 11 but before it citunenced the CEHJdideteS were 11 introduced tO the electors. ~ L.S. Leal-::e wa.2- proposed by 'Mr. _Landor, and by whom- he was ~ftfcribed aH being 11 known to all the electors, having lived _ ·jii his life in Perth. He had made his fortune in the colony, ~ch ;,aR a t~ood proOf of hi:::; 8 bil i ty to serve well the -±nte-rerd~R o!~ thr- cr:Jlr:my at.lEtree. 11 ~he Plector::::: Y:ere pleased ·-w--hea:r that Mr. Lea};.e WO:i;:· 1 Well ccqusir:ten '>".'i~h f1.nance'4 ... (.351_ .___!h. Leake then e:tood up to make his pre-election speech, firstly ror not having Rpoken befOre: ----- ~le--gi~-i-ng .--.-::z 11 11 -~~ 11 I am- a dif'fident man, he said and I .c'ansi2fer ·-.-:::.. ______that it' .You want me ae_ :yo~- represent~tive y~u - ---~honlrl .tlel-•:.---rn-e (to .r.:..f-1£.B.Kl .... nl.J't a::::. you dld not, t(wn the di.ff'j_rlent man hod cor!li:- out of tO 0 hirnsel t' and of' fer himr:;elf for yc,rrr choi·ce 8 (36) I He ohjectecl to Ue1'inite st8ter~ent:::; of policy, or fo· ii,kinG rar-:;h promiRes, but hP. Oeclared himself tO be in favour I -.•_-immigration, ·public works, and liberal land regulations. ---~ fi. rSt IJUill ic work he dee-med necessary was tb_e constructioi.- Ol··a pier at F'rcmant le. He concluded his speech by saying------· j:Jkinr~ly : -<' 11 Place my name at the top of the voting paper and any one of" the three you like· best cmderneoth". (37) Later thot day there was great cneering in the hall the results of the election were announced, Leake and beine- the two members elected. P.o Lul-;:e L~a_ke_ was elected to the new Leaislative Co'Qllcil, ch met f'or the 1'irst time on ti:onday, 5th December... The I•'.P. Borlee moved· that L.S. Leake be the Speaker of__.the • (38) V!hy WR.B he chosen? It .was a positiOll o.f honour,_,··~~-- inly, well deserVed bY the eRteem in which he was hel_d, t rnufJt e.lso. h_e remembered that the Ppeaker of th8 House not forr,nul11te eny policies. Perhaps tP.e~.....secr~t. lies in 11 Lent-:(:: 1 ~ denc-rirt inn nf himRelf' as being a diffiG:ent ~' flenit~:~nt. Hbout committing himself to direct statement·s-·or==c::::'=: ic·~,. fJi;; nfie.i'uLneRs, pei'hBlfB ·the _other members realised, iq hip AbiLity to ·conciliate vBriouR opinions, anc;l act as . -1-,_ ctt;~hilird.np: llnit··in the Council. I, In -8T\.Y car;e, aR .::-Jpeaker of the House, 'he~could take no ernoi"-~t po.rt in politics, anfi hiA duties appeared to be inore cisl than political. However, it was later sllJd·,·o:r- him that hj,:- .I.bid. 1 '· ' . Ibid.'; w_-'-A. rieze·n;e. 21st- October, 1870, ~-.-,--.-.. ---' 1 Minutes of Proc·ee ·. '-. '. 11 1 7 Thought f'or himRelf and expressed his op.inions on the topics of the day fear.lessly, and was once· in conse.ouence within 8 votes of losing hiR Geat for Perth". (39) One of' the mo~it intert sting topics v·.'i th which Luke Leake concerned both in Council and. out of it was that of State to Church Schools, particularly to Roman Catholic. schoolS. In the late l840'R contingents of Roman Cathe>lic ·"""'""~sts nnd nunP: did pioneerine work in education in ttre-- St_~... te, 1 the face of open hostility c;nd suspicion of other The rnR,jori ty oL' the :::ettler2 were t~nelican::.:· or Non ::.-;t; nnd :.:::or11e f'iCilool:..:; h:"!d opened U;J under the former. Irtsh convicts <-JTJiJ immi.:.:Tantr: nrrived the Horll.8n CatholiC--.. 1Jurcf1 he1_;an to tnke "';'here, the Council hnve ncted jw.~t as I thought they would. 'F'flther· Git)ney, take m;:,r word for itJ the Catholic claim f'or education will never be " .grHnted it(·this colony". '\.- l•';:Jtb.f·r Gihney repli?d in ~~~.~r. LeAke you can- take J!JY wo'rd that CC;It.holics will ·never reet content until their Glaim i·s F.trlrni ttedu. 11 Nt~ver, never," replied Mr. Leake ... 1 ' Y~s you will", retortetJ I•\gther Gibney, 11 and you .YOUr>r.::e !.f wi l I. Huppert i.t11 • (40) :u:~d r:upport the Roman Catholics' c)aim he eventually d. /\:·~- n r!lf::mher of trw Honrd of Education he went one day inspect a Homan Catholic boys 1 orphanage at ~Oiaco. He·· A very impressed With this, and as -a-m~rk of' appreciation h~>ndced to. the priest in charee· a cheque for £10 •. Through f'riendehip of' Mr.· J.T. Reilly, the ereat'-supporter ot\ ·-· .. ---·--'~ . - --· Catholic AChoole; he declared that : .t' •. The West Australian. 5th May,· 1886. ' ··, .- J. T. He illy - Reminiscences of Fif'ty Ye-iirs I. Resfdence:fll;_~-:-·· . · .. _.. -· . . -.~ ..... ,.., '" 1 8 "Until he carny _to know the Pisters of J<':ercy 8nd heai'd the remarks of' the former At Board r.~eetings, he had had a thorough dir;like to Catholics which was dissipated. 11 when he knew them • (lrl) i--Je w8::. even J.nvtteG! ?_1:-- n rnf::::~~-:oo::r .. _of the ::_.':'.~-,r-J of Education, an Ane;lican to boot, to Gpeak at the i'oundatior~ of Fa trick's School_, (42) friendship towrds the Roman Catholic Church !3hows !~~2~1¥'-Q·"-~~iJ1oJedneRs, for he was a loyal member of his own_ . /ineTfcan'.'Cnui--cn--mrtlerr-.,:rsnop Parx• "', d'e'e·+t"d"'e"ur--tt-!"ra.,..,.t-.-:.;,....,,_""'"' new· was_ f'or - -· ------__.,______. Cathedre.l necef;f'ary the diocese in 1871?--.--- -:till !·. churchman, thout:~ht to he ::'ir LlJke·--Lea}::e, offered the f>d~hedral "provided 8 similar sum was forthcoming \1--!3) [-md it i~; recor•ded tl1et he wa':'- the donor or------.. ~---· £:l,OOC trJ the Cathedral fund. ~41--1-) , But in tFI Lkinf~ of events which occurred in 1878, we .( rillJ aheod of' our story, for we have not mentioned a most l!moortant eveflt ifl tile Life of' Luke Leake. On the 25th Aue;ust, 6, the "'i4A. r.:'imes iosued the fo+lowing informatiqn - I 11 0\H' mu(:!h eSteemed fellow citi-zen L .s. Leake has been kni1~hted by the Queen, in consideration no doubt or the distine;uished pos1 t1on which he hau held as f:peaker of the Legis"J:ati ve Council. "i'he diF:-tinction ·flas bet?n well earned by ·a · di~nified nnd· able discharge of his duties in the Lecinlgtive Go1mcil, and i·:ir4 Leake is well t'ttt_e_O., moreover by this marl<. of the ::?-oVereign' s :-::. ~On:o;ideration tiP· h«;.:inE an olrl colonist of the h"lehent "intee;rl.tY anrl a member or one or the !1eF.t and rnont respecte~d families in W.A." (45) 1 rn .h'ebrunry 1886, Sir L-uke Leake l~ft with his wife, Leo.l~.e, on a visit" to England. He left the country in flr~ h.-:'1d ~;pent f:O m9.ny happy and proritable years never to 1 t 8JORin. lie died aboard ship on lRt ,T>JJ>e, 1886 t:rorn ~estiOJl of' the liver. The news of: his death reached Perth f'~w deys lstcr, and 1 t was reported that : .. ' Ih"iil p.5l 52. Ibil'l ..J2·268: The /\v1ij_ling Struggl<;: p.67. . . '...... ChtJ.roh Beginnings p.65• ·· W;.-A •. Till!es 25iB/lB76. - fJee Appendix l'or.-._recommevdsti~~s~~... -,,.·-, __ "·~""1'1 knighthood. - !· - ----:~--. ---··-·•-<'---o, ....-- __ _ l 9 ,1.· 11 As soon i3S the news of ~ir Luke Leake's death reached Prerna;ntle, the :flags at the railway station and the leading hotels were raised half-maRt anc'l on every side cou1d he he a :Pel expressions o:f regreT: and :::;urprise 8 t the tme):pected clecease Df the;: v..:.:::..:-t.hy kni.p;ht 11 ~ (l+-5) The obi_tuary, puhlish.~_d iD.. :t:he 'Nest Australian,· devotep. long colWim to him, and although the f:entiments expressed such noticeR verge on the extravagant, it is wOrth readir~, it shows some of' the extraordirlary reeard in which this V{est f.tm;:tralians. _-"~'/hat gave him hi:~ prominence in the Eocial lif't':-= of ':"f.A. wa:..; not. merel~' hiP compclr~d,ive Yt.Lultll •••• it Vll:i·-F not merel~~~ f"1·1.F. -fftfrr::.ner·, t·i~~ love of in f,t:r·cour~·;e ·Ni th hj.f-· fellows anc1 letr_·ure to cultiV(1te hi::-; b~::.:·te::· er:d to :nove o:l!oneE-t .•• hir friend::::; it wa 8 not merel.y the digrd.1'j.ecl ;_Joroit;ion .•• aF -;..pee-ker in the Lt-giF~la ti ve C0ubcil. t.ll the se--to:td henvily iii the scale, but the seriour-aJess of hi;-\ charfrcter largely fort1fied the other M(]VI:JI!taees Blld gave hirri· t9e hold he wan able to retDin upon hi!~. f'ellowh both in public and in privftte life. If there "'~!as an honest 1 won it wfl.r; he - ho-one doui1ted hts sinceri ti .. (~7) 1\f'. a politician it FJeernH that he made little overt tr:ihution to the poli 1,icG of the time, for hifl duties as >p alie had a solid rather than brilliant mind, hir; ain.s were Rinele, his convictions tenecious. But through all thiR ran a ··vein of cqmmon A en Sf-: •.whtch. of'ten made his opinion worth morR than :that of niEiny a brighter and 11 :Hore gif"ted mnn • ( 48) ' '-~· ,, -~-- .... --'"···-·. ~- j r~est Ku~tralian 5th May , .... 1886. '.'h~8t AuRtralian 6th May.. 1 ],886. Ibid. ., .. ··----·- "'""··-~-~~ . ! ···--·... ., ·--·---.-~· PART 'l'HRE:E Gi.;OT?GJ-1; LEAK!~ 1856' 1902 I 21 •. LEAKE "•·· .. 180(; Lrint_~G ;;~~ almost t<_, tlJe thii·d ntar;e of th~::: procrar..rue ;·:.A. tow:Jrdo t.Le fln0.l stnc-e o£' cor.<-~l-:te r·es~o~·;sitle rnment. In it ·::.;.~ :::>l"lall C!ultGiC~::r t!1t part plB.ycd b~, -Geor£e , nephew or Sir Lui-~e Ler..~k:e, :_,:~C.: v:1,:_, \:;us ever;tuall.:l to become or tLc St:.1.•:;. J'~ut '.'J2 C2~:1ll~· t ····,r;-:::•:d '-·-· c .. : •.:ide:· -:::.iJ.is ::an lJ:J,;;;_i_r,e_ tu ;_;JJid.l'(':: thr.::: ~11:_,~ J •• .._, -~-; ;-_;r_;~-_::_e:ve:ii.e::~s {_;,;:-· l:i-s J(:J.', r;._;(j£'[!;t: "·:Jlpclc; L•.:ukc, wito r::u::~. certo.i::l~- h~ve tee!-. a of' inr.:~:"ir:Jtio!! t(; hi:,; ··son. .:,;•JIJJ;;:; r::~J~-:, ~c:urge ·::ol-:_~)Ole tu tllu D::.:.P in Adelaide :::t11died law fn England. He o.r,,J '.':Lon !;i:J eldest 1 In 1850, r~e rr.ar ., ' l•; ...,., ·_,}._) r:t t!·1ut t.Lr;;e; lezql josi tion ,,,, -1.1.:; i tq:c /';r-._t~•: :-:Lr·:Jt•; i~C:i-1' :'1]~, -1 L ,. ·~C . ')Y' i -~~73-1 ~7!-1 -<- •• _., ;,: ... ! ,-,'_o:,OV.T; ~;:-.ll·:i.t:".. r· 1',[~ .l~ct~;.-_- ;. L"l.·il'ilr:·:.- ·"'enr:::p::Jl ond :;;er;.ber c.f' tile executive on.-j Le;-i:>lut1•!c: ~>mncils ·1·379-BO, .:-d-..:1 for a ~FtoPt ti !J(; ~Y; ·1 ('J33. /~ctir;;_: r~~-~lr_:_-r.' ,::.:)tlcc 1B79-1088 F0licc L:n:_··i_;,;tJ~::t.e PertL H ..V31 ., J~ctJr;;_~ noverll!1CI:t Eesid.c1.t Gel,:Jldton 188( J;ctil,. P.rl:onc, Z•"l;.;e 1ilG7 1;:')0 ::':i:,fK::r ui' L·.::~i_;.;J<:itJ·re GrJuncil. 1 'i his_ L; ,.:_; trul,i· C()ldii!C:l!d:JGle 1,ist. 1../f n;;po~ntrr:.eJ)tS -uttei··J1e""'~~--~· ;J fJt.r::ed~· ·o:-:d pcr:-;'.-:v •..:r.iiJL·: lee:al n:ind, tile: q_uall.tles of- which rur"""' 1. ttcd t<; l1ln sun, Anothc:P r~if't 7.'!·.ich Geor;{e V{alpole t•; l!i;J :~·JJ, ·,·.·::; 'I.L:o~t -.,f tf!'...: r·~.·~ "riro(:•.:Ji' :; U.·..: I;~...:.t;u, itJ it'? ~::c:ll, r.:ll : car, soy i.s thet t :;:,L L:1vc l_;e<:ll CPC!C:n to hr:; v::: bee!-: r::c.,;cL t so casi ly~" :).111: l1•.: !'·•·.moJ !Li.G m~)_tch, .f'ur· thr: prisoner_ :flashed te.ck (50) -· r;,_;IJl'_r~f:, to1·t, in 1S~r:;, \'10.8 not n8orw~ ·.::alpole's m1l,';t child, i!lc •,nl,:, ., An ::1 .~-'ounc l::.r_:_.,:, )1c Wo.G.-~ducated-- o.t _Bishop Hale-rs---- o_' Sc.:JJ(H_.l, ;;;L~;-;J"t: GtJbs·:queiJt ecneratlons of ·Le..:tke sons have tee~·-.; UC!.i~.r:rJ, J,r·.t-.:r ltc ~-o'::l~J acntLto s_. Peter':J Bt:.Y3 1 Sch0--4.-lt in~,- ...____._. elu.1.u~, --:!.~> J11: ·_-_-;~el:l,y y nc_m3n;q_lt:r -cut-t·i nr- ii1 possesoion of lr!r. _E. ' Clif'ton, .:: L. :,- .-'------.· ';-.! ·~ ~ ~~ 11 lr. tLo revol't nf the anr:ur,_l ~xaminotJ.on of' scholare at 2 3 Peter's C:olleve f,dcl"i.de, ,the nc;me of' 'Jeorge, the only son of' 'li'':.;; e Att.orney-'len:,ral. 8t.ood prominent am ·.;.- _- Its column ennounc-ed t};o.t he hod secu·red the Chr1st-Church ~.JlicJ;ol.::-~rship vnllJecl .'Jt r:1-0, n.r:d, pGrhn:-)r:: r:1o8t significe.:.t in view i.t,_jif' ]-,j B 1:-tr_:p CfH'•}Cr, hr:: V/.'18 r>.VmrUec} ·~~-:'::: r>i' tJv:: ct'2.Gf r:rize.B i:or -~,'f~1ucuti .-;~-. 'l'o t'.'i[' t!1e::~c r..:c!·;ie:vr:.:r.·.f::~-:t::>r :-~!.::. 'l!C;r:, ~:.2_~c~c~ ir: 0 t:.t:;h·· ·· ~ci tir)fl in U~: _?_~_c?nc] C-~-~~-~ __ :_n the hc'p?~-~-- ~i Gt. (51) -~--- .J~ J..o ~1ic f'othe: \'i::tc such a~;. excell~r:t la\\J'e:r:·, and_ !-!Elvin£ al- ~- ad:i s{.O\-m potcntlnl f'or publlc :::peal:lne Hnd dcbatine, it was- -~- lmost inevl tntle t,h,.:Jt. the younc Geo;r.fl"e should t11rii- to the sh1dijr · ·-:~ ... ---He oneo PB-fflli:T'-ked ul abJayS'~:had a strong likinl!' for rn.;y~ 11 -~---=~thor's 0CCt;potion • (52) -l,';- C:r; rct·~l'!lin.~~ tr;. T)r--rtl·· tl•r-:r•"---::,rf· h::: becr-rr~'> ::>rt~,...led to--his :Jr,.J il< ~.·~co ;,u ~,;~:~ '~~c1iili ·t t(::d · trJ J L-:r:~ t~:;r i~;~r.<.f!.. -- ~i-S~ce:-re~r· · ];w/ dir] ;-:,_.t f'all short o::.:' the e;~nectotiGLS w:-.ich hsd been oed iT! bi1n. In 13:33 by vil"'tue of hi G__ excellent---:debatine ""fJP.we-:rs-, --~· cm~.e Crovm 3olici tor, a poGi tior; of horJQ;J.r wf.ich he wa~ to--··----· fr-;r the next eleven yeors. :!:t ·was ca.id of him at this tiJD..e ~n tLe practice of .h ts profe8sion he attained a very -<' inent posfticm. As a criminal lawyer he vms one of the .best had ever known, and_ on the civil side of·· the court he was os a very nhle and successful pleader. (53) ·' In social gatherings too, ht Wf.IG u por.·ular membEtr. He good c ricl-:eter ·and sportsrr,o.n ar,,_::. later became the chairman J,. Turf' C:1ilb. In 1881 he mo?Cried Lo·1isa Emily Burt, Wf'J1cer Of 2"11\.!£10 ~urt,(54) _pnd_ b,Y \'/bOID he had_ fOUr SO_~_?Jl 'f.l--;c Lc:~':c~_; tHJu:Jlly man:_tged. --to J-·nvc ::1 hanc) in the .economic fe.__CJ£_.J:.' • .:"'-.., · nLrJ 0corgc Lcalw pruved no exception although hia .ture3 in tl1if:i di r·octlor. were of i1 r:::~.tJ1er di i'ferent vein of his uncle nnd great-uncle. In the late 1880' a· :::.o•'':o-::::,s;-_ · s 0H· event occurred in V"/Cotern A11stralia which· wa·s to mark turnint:·: [JOint in i t~:i proEperl t;y-. Gold Wa3 discover·ed.. in the J.e;ordie ond Kola.uorl.ie ·rec;.lona, and hundreds ot' peop-le- we-PS :-: ted with the 1•JGt f'or r;old v1t:ich sent them hurrying, rich [I(Jo.r o.llke, tu tJ-Je rtold-r'iclcls. Gcprge Leal;;:e felt, as ~n.y · the :;r,Jminc,,t mun in the community c11d, that if W.A~ was -to r·ic:h !_~f.~ld rJl~coVcries j_-t vmulU be a boo.s.t.. to _its prosperity. · t.tcJ onl scvePCJ.l proopectir43 p0.rties and was a member of the.. __ utc \'.'l1ich sent out HenPy Anstey's expeQ,i tion when gold WE;B Inquirer 21/1/74 '~he "West Aus·traliann ·-~ ~Une 26, 1902.,. W.A. 26/6/02. I ·····.Phis WHB. rather i Sllrprisine ffi[l tc_:ll in vieW of' the f'aCt that-....· GeoriJe Walpole and Jvdec_.J3urt were conf'ipned enemies • . ,.,,------···-----r------.- ., -~--- 24 !'!covered in t.hc Yil:-_.:nrn V::llle,y in· 1387. Leal~e' s dealinc:s with eolclfiel.J.s vmD it1- r::oke him s;yrnpathetic to::;ards th~ miners, . was t 'l'hc-; 1'~90 1 :--· v:erc.: Cf':::!:ti':.;_2_ .:··---:.-~----s r·,_-:r· 'H.A., for- tte;;' not only · .·;,Lt ~dY.J,;;__ L1c: ;}_,;_;_;c\..•Vr.:rj' (;i' ._··~lU.t -G-ut a.lc:.:; U·;~:; fL-__;_:_l st;age of ,_ A 1 s progl~'e3s2Dl~ t'Jwnrds respoEsi ble 30Vcrnme2.1t, . ;i...r.. __ _yrhich both Pi!e Lenke a!·.J hi~ f'o.ther lf.lere to tal:e :;o.rt. The nttc~.tl0!'::. of the colonists ho.d -~ecr-;·- drm'ii: ir:. 1337 to l ·-rfeo-l:ne'3;;--:rf" L1, e 81~1 s t l ng--f'o-r. ::::;£' ['J':Y'1t., r1 .... ent-; ··ond. "tr:-- ttre------'-'- llovJL;c; .·/eCJ.P, tho old Legislative Scu:r.. cil Via8 tlissolved, Jlen_cJ..:i.:"_g ' ner'cer::t:i;-.... n~· tr~e B1~.i. tiel"] G-rJv-srm1e!lt to A form of governr:ient in i~er:T~;iE ;vj_tJ-;. lj_fc oi' a vi;:-;-opc.os ,/oune state. A · -c~l.O!! ( GeoL""·ee :.G~1J:u v::Jsted nu tirr1e in oi'ferir.e his talerJtS to the uorlL'"tr~~Lt. r:r..: ·:,'::w elected ;.;.nopDosed --for the district of' n)Jr"; t0r;:-: Ll c; :::c:1t ir. the r;c'll pnrlior.:cnt of' 30 December , und':r the pr(:miersJ~ip 01' ,:'"o!m ?orr8Gt. But Forrest and _j were nr .. t rJcst.incd trJ '-!trJrJ.: t:Jcetf.f":r arr;ic"abl_y. To a.rny:;l·~~~j:f,Ul]:==;;[[ thcJU(:;h-t v;oul!l _be _str()I1g cnou,sh to .consti t:ute _EPJ. c F6rrest offered i.1 -p-ortf'olio. ?arrest muG·t haVe ·re j)Otc;;tiDl IJS o mCr.:lx~r of t.t:e opposition, but t.l].e latter .: not to l:'oJ_ l1ri bed into 3Cce·ptinr!· o poGi tlon in which he would· L feel f':('ee to or... pose i;[!e Premi"'3r r:>Lou.lU tJH:: occasion arise. · t-her thnn,·nccept the -p0rtfolio then, Lco}~c resigned his seat. Dut no true LC:n~.;:e son cu\1ld ! ) Londonderry Jumping Case'·· See G.C.Boui'ton·- .l:liJLL11'e_aru'LTimea_-\JIIelb.-UQ.i.~:<>"'=~~--~IJ ~ ·--'~· c r.: ;ii (". t.l -; -~ l --;::;4 . --~ ~~ '•-.:• d -::~ ·:~.· 4 A l o];; .",·1· :?c_'.j_ ·-.-~; ...:..;; --·~ Leal::e wan a close f'riend of anotl~~er· :T.€mber of the Assembly 1 ter James, who had close ties with the e-reat advocate of tion, Alfred Deaken. The goldfields were later to become of irrrportanc_e_ -~n the issue in ·:;,J... but even before ti·tis be~arr,e in£wen·.t Leate hiTnself became a strong su;_,porter of Federation.(56} a :<'edcratj_n!·: LeoL,..rue in r:,/1, i11 16.89 ar,U. vvas one of the tes t.o t~~c -:-,'ecJc;ra1 Conv~Ltic.r; of 1 SJ1 t ;:-~ttendiL;_~ meetings . aide, ·sy-dJJCY ·;j:n:d- T,;c-:tbo-:-;F-:-c:r.. · ::~ ·:-:-cs ·-:-J;!s ·-:-: ---T·e·ie:r--t___,:-t-io~"l-'-s--·------_::."' 9UP.Q9_rt.ers _in the Joint-Select Cor.nr.i ttee of both Houses VI.A. parlianeJit app0-inif3.(f In 1899. · To his work as or1e of --.---- · tions most hearty advocate , do we owe its adoption in 1901. f'ight had n·ot been ca·sy, · tma:·-po'fl"es-r--hin)serr--had -b-een------.-· tious a tvu t U 1t; , Cut fuced w i ti: the rr:o et vi go :rous sit ion Lerd·J:; )·:i::,oelL' !iud pesi;::::-ned frVri: ,-,v.r::..-L:..n~eLt ilL 1900, to _attend :_::d'trl, (;._;t •Jl: !--;is returr:t in ~1)01 he st6od success- v:..; cr_,r,J.il.L:::tc fol' -.·;cGt Perth. Per.,; rived o:..' Forrest's strong rGhi{h tJ.~; "OV,_:r:.r,;ent at this time fell prey to inetabilit.Y. ll.rossell, tJ,c.; premier; resicJ:ed leudership nnd Lertke himself did wisL to form 1)ne o_i_' the new miJ!istr.'./ unless he v1as eiven the iersllip alon-r: VIi tJ-. tLe pol'tfolio o.:.' Attorney-Ge!leral. rtrwas thnt Le.'Jke was virtunlly "the or:ly ma."'1 strong e.r...ough to ·he T~ousc inttJ o;1 effective v;or}:L.c: ·te-am, so .r.e was acCord [~lven both lJrcrr.iership CL'"!d office o~ At..t0rney-General, as desired. Du t ul thou;__rh Le.:l~:_c was a guod. leader, it was stort t.l-Jut e~ltbouch the house "'represented the rna elector::>,-- it did .not have t.he support of the ma.iorJct·v·<>-1'··-·th& ·tors u:' the representatives". (57) Indeed, Le me to IJI'•Y.re himself au premier Gefore tl:is n1inistry11 _too,.:was _ fail. Towor ',~J1c: ·r~~.:.:wspL.q;c:rG of tLc t..ir:l(! found it dii'ficul t to·- decide what -- the determining foetor in the de_feat of the,-~e"'"'e Gove:t'.!'Jll~~·-·· · e-em.:rolly cor,cluded that i ..Lwas _dt]e to the 1ncreased strengt.ll thp Oppooi t'ion. They were sympathetic towards Leake and the- out- JE rr.ir1iG Lity UllU rcporte t ·-· - - res was on it. could I1.<.1ve bee·n th~ 'deciding fB.ctor hie <>ffering- Leake_. portfolio .\r, the iS90 Po.rlioment, the.latte:.J.'-e- eub- ---·-"=c;.; sequent resig-rlotion·. _..-· The "i'lest Al.Ul ..truliun"· 11/11/01. lbid 9/11/01. I. "1- -;- 27. -- An fur ns the frailty of h\.lman nature perr;.i tted, they oJ.' t';eir l1est to the tnsk Vil11ch they undc;rtook. The '' 1 s courneeous st011d over a strike r;h,ich should -nat have m•t·.ene'd .• t!:c r::-avir.g of the richts of tLe State iE_.reaurd to perU: Common, the ease of thE: treas-c.ry and. economy exercised r publlc -f'innnces deserve .hie-hl,y to t.e co:r:anended, os do the lioii~w~\:j?\:f -- ~~~-[-~-~:-f~{:~ -~~,~-il~r;i~t-cti]'~;- ~:~-~~--~~~ ;: )--rs~--)--[5__ xr;~_tY.~.s!~.?-~-----·---~.~.--:_-- ... ------· Leek-e h1mself was not at all bitter over his de:te-at,-- ..•.,.,,,,ongh it must huve cost him considerable disa::~poir1tment. J.ffi cexprec:sed in his stoter..cJ. t to _the :;GttSe ·-· 11 'l'h.o. t our efforts have not rr.et with the success the Govern --~-.n,t..tJyjnlc-±J~dcmc!ncJed at .tlJ..c_--l::..D_.L..d.c ... of tL.e r:.er:tbers .arid of' .t.tle-----.---. ·1try, v1e con or!l,y :reeret, but ~.. ;jl( AYJd such \'.'erG t·he politics o[' tLe time t11a.t his ·words.. had prophesy· "i.r; ther::. The succef!dil!£.: r,overnmen t was i tsel:f lived. ~:eentibtionn were m~..l 11c. i'or a coalition ministry,. were r:ot successf'ul, snd -:t:e Gover:r:or once more calleQ. -. Lcn::c to form on DdDir1icCrntior:. Jd:. lost the Premier felt t he f;::..ld tLc f'opcc befdi·d him wldch he felt should have been before Lio defeat in rover:r1Jer. Lr::.::;l·:e wos set t"o .. accOmplis,h t tf1·;l·oi~D, :1nd the country felt it could settle dorm to J. ./e:lr'r; nr :~·r;od c;ov~rnrnent, ','f:·ich had not been-:-exper-lenGecl.~ .,r:,rror:;t' ~..:· Lir'"(; But .'J very f'cw mont.hs later .come th~ grent 11 if 'only11··_~ ..... In , Lcr.~ke h.::H1 ~LJd·e plans to visit the town o:f-~nziea., -B;nd to-·· . tJie neW r.::1 ~lvvny o:t Leonora. Hor;ever he cOntraC:t;ed:. a ·sever.e. ... wf,i.ch u:rcv; worse v;hen he paid an official "Visrt:··tfj· South . · in ld.tirJely coJ.d weother. Jiis project 0f' leaving for the f'iclr1::: Jwd to 1-:.c :JQ..'Jrtdoncd, Gnd t t wos s.oon clear that tte··· mi•...!f' vm:j' suTfcr·ir..g from acut~·-prie:umq_n.;i.a._ The whole of Perth· i ted f'l)r ncvJ~:.i of o. change in his condition, for he was greatly nnd reGDected. l1ut hr: W8S scarcely conscious during ~he t nine qnyu, oi:irJ des vi te the ef'fv.rts of 'the -lea~ine. medical of t..he Stntc, George Leake died la:te on 24th June; .1-902. W~!G ur1l.:J forty six. ·· - ·' ~ .· . Georrre.jLeol:.c' s nhort -life of' leadcirJ?hip was over. If' he· ".J.'lyeU he e(Htld Jwve UCCOIIJt,liGl!ed e-reut'tJiings, f'or he had .. vo tentinl. Whn t.. .did. hiu_cuntc£lf1ill'.ariea..,1'.eal,_abou.t :him-,a~r'a;;:~~~~~ Ibid .1J/11/01 .•. !.-.- Porliarriemtary Debates 1901 · p. 2168· -~: ..... ~ . ·-·-·.~ ··-· ... •7"----· ------~ -._;; ... I . -;~~-- J"·-· _: ::~ . --!'f ·;;r; ·-·~- ·.1~ . - ··';. . ·-:-;,f: .e·.~ke J.'remier of the t' :'. 29 nnd poli ticir)_n? J~s 0.11. the Leukes w; o had found their way public-life he wos loved---as -a mar:, pespected and asimiPed es 11 ticiar:. .As ree:urr.ls f:i3 rvlical. ideas he V/88 Qreatly by the liberal - mirded 1i:<.~l ter James an:1 Alfred Deakin many p8ople con~ider him ur;d his e-overiJment tO hBve been the runners or the Libcr·r:l P.J.rt;y in \·:.f..• (61) He waS also enced to some extent b;:,' ttc: nev:1.Y c~n-,ere:ir:c Labour Party, - Ti"I""c"' :-:;·r~fl l"'t--. ·tc; I'J~:-- r;r· .~;'"";"'"i (':(' ")"'_(; '"'ti'- ;~.-r::·-~_.·:.::·· -~-----~---:;'":·cJ~ti"1- 'Tert:i"BT3"tLn:e-·----- e~ ~hi'oucJ~ __t!_'?.F_~i_o_~l~nt th?_l~ ev~_0ef'~~~---i_~_! ___ .. ,.. ·. · ______,_ To conclude th.t.s study si G-corce Leo..1-:c 1 let us look Ht the ry l!otice \':ld.c.b rq,.<•eored ir-:· the 111;ieSt .AlJ.sti:>alian11 of' June. 902, fOr in i't ,,,e·---see ·how he -,.•ms esteemed by -hi·s cotlte1Jipnr- . <,. tiver' tn few L1f.::n to win se; v;ide::-spreucl a degree -of ,~!f!.'ec:t.ion .u:nd c:~::tce;r:\a ~i!)lile. __ u_H__ Lt po.J.) tici0.L Le aroused opposit~sr~~-·------=-·" .. i tic:,J :·~n1n:•J;;·i ties 1!f:.::vc:r- f'oJ.J ·-·- / Although thi'a was not to· emerge:ccas e,; g ;· Wo-rkers-' ··Gpm'Qertsa~ti·mr ·Act;;:- Cool .. Ui~""C"t·;--•,..,1~tn>n-t"Tm-r--'--' Act etc. 11 Weot Auetrdian11 _25(6/1902: '· 30 .. COJ!CLl18IGll ,·' It bus b•ocn noid thut the eover~.r,ent of ·:: . .!-.. fro_IJ\_J829 v;us iL tl '.; L:-HidS of tl:c "Siz J:u:r.er-;·r· ?arr.ilies" - tJ-.e Dcrts, , -·S-trentons, -··-stones, Lee;;_stee·res [n:d LE:.akes. _'1'h-a~·-they _ plr.i,Y a vrom:.ncnt part ir. the I.JOli tic&J. and social l.ife of is very clear, the Levkes playinfl no _less a part th,an any otLePs. '-:,'e }·,nve :::eo::;: how the first Geore;e Leake to to :,:!.}.• •.·/'ts :_1 u!emb':!:r ...-.:- t;:e Lerrislutlve Cour-cil in 1839, hia Y1Cphe1.·: Sir Luke:.: 8::-.:.:;.~:cel Le:::ll~e becav.e .Speal-:er o~ tf',..e __ -____ .. · slutivc.: Cou.ncil unclc:r :'8I-:resentative guvcr-r;merlt iL i870; his otr:.cr ner.::herv Geore;B-· YiaJ...r;ole a.nd his so·n Geor-ge becarr.e ro of u-,,_; firct p:.n·lior.•ent under responsible governnient · r· • 'J.'h.~ Lca;:cs .. v.1err-:: .--_~r: out,stnnclir:c~ f'8rr1ily in the life, ',A. fL·u;:. ·j,:_;:::_:; :... ntil tLe dent!: of-Georp;e L6-ake iL 1902, 1.'/f_ir::l'. !__ :;_f'",.; t: c r:m·:cr '!~d. 3totus of' the lending families Yi.A.· clec.:lL·.cd. n~.:.t n sL:.rJ,'J of the .mo~yt nro:r.Jir,er.t .r;-,ernbers ·the Lenke r~~:·; l.~' :-~=G rc;vcnlecJ ti~c:ir hich- standing as rrer.-.berE ·the"i.r r:J!_,(;.l\_:t..y in· tl.u r(_~litic:::-Jl econordc; 8!Hl social- lif'e of - __ ... --- . -¥ --~•""'- ... .--'-- · .. ,. ' -· .. --·-, '1_-.-,---- -· ,, -.. .--.... ,.. 31 ·------.-.------~-~~·· .. -~ -":- APPENDICES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY • _ : / ... .- .- .- .;?'· ·-: ·--.;~-----~-,-_.-- • 1 ,__ /1 /·.. _;~'-' :.:.;;ici-:l·~t:,. r·!-:ti--±-r:---- _.ut~c..J... ,~-.lllL Ulovc::.:. u. ,, (;j_:..~t .. ;_,;_.t,C:~l1. , Gut! •..::; <.Jr •6 :: (' J. c, . .;.:r_.t i1 --i-..0;. ~'1(-lt- ~-:~ ir~ 1:"1-:u.d.. ~·::_:;.__ ---=-· . . -~ C.: ;,l't -<.~~G- •1:..:.. _ 0!"1 ,;ut:t-:l.::. ·.1. .L<;; •. 1 r-0 ;i' 6 ,_..._. _(;jJ,l;~- U~r:c: .. , civ-...tr:.., Cl'0G-t>.t-:r} e:..:...·o·~t.,i!; __ l;_t:;t~:.g, iJG,;.'~;er f ul.Ot i.CG{i ::.J..L..d .. ::...:.\-\..1 ~!L Wrb• l'J.~.C.~; al1G t:.t_v _,: j;C;GK ~.- /1!1-l t~, black· :1.nd creerl _,;J8..:;_nt .:1'1 ,d p"lc~·:.LX'f.':Li ".J.:JI'i.\ru. ~-UL;..;.r, fit1t. :::ind . .1,.r1J ~:.rt;1:n f;e-:t.: .. c o.a:non \ . •. ! - tul--~cco 1or.c.cn \qaj_JE, :_ec?s, ::::ta~j.o_~~Y·~--- ---~~--~- ·--~ --~--'''. ------~--~ ------'--~--=. ;'--~~~.:::.:~·_._--= : '· .. .:.·~--=-...···- .<""~ l . -- ::-·'•- -- -~::-.:~-- ·- __; --~-----., ... _-.:~--~- ''- ~- --- , .... .,.....--·-·~-----·· _,_ __ to recueGt tr~a.t it ;uay be. l:)ir .rLob.~rt · 'l'orrbul li.~S c .ll 8tl 1 ~:x.;Jl:H::; 6f n..U6 tr::l..L·idr. ;:;; to .J...Jord ,)J..rL, rv_un tr1a t a uowe Lono;;r wo ,l•..; Oe _t.,rU.:.-t:r.::..j uc.:stoved on Lr •· Leikt? ;_ E.:d.iun-..... frf.,._·.£.$l.(;r . .-; .... n.\..:.o,t.l'J.li.J..i.~ Cv ...H,Cil. C.F1.:J orr i.:.... cdt:.:ht· J)aC!lelor) t.-J•JulCl f1G-t .. c: ral- .. -,..:l.':::.Ct -----=~~ .Ji:ue;uet, 1:::..76. t[H: -ilUJlOUY' to it·. l'.or;::;: · y-r.. u· -::::1't t:<.e ~ ••••••• 0 ••••• -~--- ·.:----~-~' ------,~··c;_.:.::.::_,~- -i . . .,_ .. -~---~-----~- -.- ':,.... ···· .. ,-. ------:. . -----. ... , . . -----~- __ _..____,______,,, - ..... -- __ .. : -~-- • ··------~- ·-·1 Bl S.Ll OGRAPHY . ,., ---~·-- Cyclo,;.:tL·J"i-1 of i1'et..t8rn AULitr:l.lia; (Ad el ., ·'· = -. • J . ~ .. ·-·· ·:;... ,____ ::::..;:-~· _._]~~-'------'· ·,· ...... >------' ------# --- -·· .,.r:---~·. .i}l.j ~-- J'wo Years at ue.:1; (LotJdon: ~e.~tley 1b54.) __ .ui.,-;.r,r of 'iEl· i_ _, .. .i.',\fi;;.~:J>.J:; L~iL C~, .tL ;-_.::;_r-~V Settler in W.rl... \ iot1ci on : :::·:·····'tl.~l"tliOOk 1884. ) Col. ~/. ;:..:t. l'ierrt· ~~~;rdJurJ--"-!.nd w.P. ~-.cr_;"ell (t;ds.) ~J.rly llc.:t.'/L in:·'-ilectLI'll AUL :r::~.i.L:t, Beinr-:: -c~·Le-'-'Lette-r& ;t!'Jd JourrHl:... u_f .Lie.Y..... :t ...... ;_.1~W. ~Uht:.i..j.rj'. (U~c:crd 1').}0. j ..- InqU.ir~r, •l.1~ril · -:.:~.__:.. " June !t__...;·J. June \·...:'1(::. .~ -, Geor•e L0~Ke .:1t ue_t; Jour .al W,J\..a.l.,h :.Jcl-'t. L5, 1,_,_,:.1 :t.!.!_ Accch.tr;t of tLe Gou..-..:her t~-l.--. i..<..£; Jouri~dl '"·A.h.;.;. (1/o.J... j.) Wiocl:; ·'ftre--Voluntccr· ;·;o·rc:·:~...:;nt ir;_ ·; •.:.t. H3u1-17V3. (!·a terl on .brOcKt.Ld..:.ha.) Hei W.• h. '[''J..!iiP.: • " ' ".;j. i ,_, /.1 ;__. '{ 1_, ~et:;t liUb !:h·aJ..i::tn ,J Wl~ 1 CGV HonOur~; Li::;t 18'74-i_,.., lJou..i.. t0rl; · • t>.le..x. :1.uJ e::r .i!'O!'J."t::Bt, lli;.... ~ift; .:J.Hc!. .i.'iules. (l~eltourne univ. l'recs.) Jour1J.d.l '·/{.A.n. •. _u •. Voi. 4. "o:v 1:!01 ·U.w1e 1 ~vL · Latch; .~c:,;;:::': :,,,Hoar" '"" •-o-m'.J- ~ =:~ ···, ------. .:.. ·. c: ~::·~:=~ ' __ ... .• ------,~~- .i