Sir John William Downer (1843-1915) James George Drake (1850-1941)

Senator for South 1901-1903 Senator for 1901-1906

ohn Downer was born and educated in Downer was elected to represent South ames Drake was born in London, England Drake did not stand for re-election to the JAdelaide, South Australia, where he was Australia in the Senate at the first federal Jand migrated to Queensland in 1874. Senate in 1906 but retired from politics and admitted to the Bar in 1867. He was member election in 1901. He supported the Barton He worked as a journalist for a number of resumed practising law in Queensland. for Barossa in the South Australian House of ministry in the first Parliament and took a leading newspapers, was a shorthand writer Assembly 1878-1901. In that time he held particular interest in the establishment of with the Queensland Parliament’s reporting many high ranking positions, including the . staff, and was admitted to the Bar in 1882. Premier, Attorney-General and Treasurer. Drake was a member of the Queensland Downer became a Queen’s Counsel in 1878 After his retirement from the Senate in 1903, Legislative Assembly 1888-99 and a Member and was knighted in 1887. Downer continued to practise as a lawyer in of the Legislative Council 1899-1901 where Adelaide. In 1905 he was elected to the he held the position of Government Leader, An ardent supporter of federation, Downer South Australian Legislative Council, and Postmaster-General and Secretary for Public represented South Australia at the federal he remained a representative of the Southern Instruction. conventions of 1891 and 1897-98. He Districts in that chamber until his death in advocated a strong Senate as a guardian 1915. Sir John Downer was the father of Sir In 1901 Drake was elected as a Protectionist of states rights and, as a member of the Alexander Downer MP (1910-1981) and to represent Queensland in the Senate at the Constitutional Drafting Committee in 1897, grandfather of Alexander Downer MP (1951- ), first federal election. In February 1901 he was assisted Barton and O’Connor in producing both of whom were appointed as ministers in appointed to the as a final draft of the Constitution Bill. federal Liberal governments. Postmaster-General, a position which he held until 1903 when he briefly became Minister for Defence. He was Attorney-General 1903-04 and Vice-President of the Executive Council 1904-05.

The state of South Australia was also represented in the first Senate by: The state of Queensland was also represented in the first Senate by:

Sir Josiah Henry Symon Thomas Playford Sir Richard Chaffey Baker William Guy Higgs Andrew Dawson

David Morley Charleston Gregor McGregor James Charles Stewart John Ferguson Thomas Glassey