Digby Denham
Digby Denham | |
---|---|
Queensland Legislative Assembly for Oxley | |
In office 3 July 1902 – 22 May 1915 | |
Preceded by | Samuel Grimes |
Succeeded by | Thomas Jones |
Personal details | |
Born | Digby Frank Denham 25 January 1859 Annerley, Brisbane, Australia |
Resting place | South Brisbane Cemetery |
Political party | Ministerial |
Other political affiliations | Liberal Party |
Spouse | Alice Maud Knight |
Digby Frank Denham (25 January 1859 – 10 May 1944) was a politician and businessman in
Early life
Denham was born in
Denham moved to Sydney in 1885 to form a partnership in John Melliday & Co. He opened a branch of the firm in Brisbane in 1886, and then bought out the firm in partnership with his brother in 1890, renaming it to Denham Bros, Produce and Grain Merchants. He became involved in several other companies over the following years and by the early 1900s he was chairman of the New Swanbank Colliery Co. and one of the leading businessmen in Brisbane.
Politics
From February 1892 until 1902, Denham served as a member, and for four years as chairman, of the Stephens Divisional Board (later the
He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland from 1902 until 1915 representing the seat of Oxley, and was Premier of Queensland from 7 February 1911 to 1 June 1915.
In June 1902 he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland for Oxley. He campaigned in opposition to a state income tax which Robert Philp's government had proposed, although by the time he became premier in 1911, he had concluded that it was not high enough.
In September 1903 Philp's government resigned when its income tax measures were narrowly passed with three supporters, including Denham, crossing the floor. A Liberal-Labour coalition government headed by
In February 1907, sensing that a new anti-
Denham's major contribution was the Land Act 1910, which consolidated 50 years of Acts and amendments as well as historic New South Wales legislation still in force in Queensland, and removed much confusion. He was widely praised for his grasp of the legislation.
While Denham commanded an easy majority in the Legislative Assembly, he did not always lead a united party – a parliamentary group known as the Farmers' Union emerged within the party in reaction to various legislation, while the Legislative Council refused to pass key legislation such as a 1911 liquor bill. A tramway and general strike erupted in Brisbane on 18 January 1912, and Denham enlisted the police and special constables to deal with the strikers, who were criticised for their violent handling of the dispute. When the Commonwealth refused his request to send in the armed forces, Denham contemplated landing troops from a German warship to assist. He called an election, in which his government lost seats in Brisbane (mostly to Labor) but won new seats in rural areas and retained office. The Industrial Peace Act 1912 established an Industrial Court which did not recognise trade unions.
The
Later life
Denham returned to business, establishing new firms in the Maryborough area in the late 1920s. He keenly supported the establishment of the University of Queensland, the ambulance service and the Baptist Church in Queensland. He was Grand Master of the Loyal Orange Institution of Queensland and frequently took the chair with Oxley True Blues LOL 19 who met at the Orange Hall in Sherwood (although this was not his parent lodge).
Denham died on 10 May 1944 at Annerley, survived by his wife and children. His family declined a state funeral and on 12 May a private funeral service commenced at his home Ingleside at 391 Annerley Road, Annerley followed by his burial in the nearby South Brisbane Cemetery.[3][4] At probate, his estate was valued at £44,085.[5]
Denhams in Brisbane went into voluntary liquidation but the companies in Maryborough and Rockhampton continued.
His residence Ingleside is
References
- Queensland Parliament. Archivedfrom the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
- The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 8 February 1892. p. 5. Archivedfrom the original on 16 July 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
- ^ "Family Notices". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 12 May 1944. p. 6. Archived from the original on 16 July 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
- ^ Denham, Digby Frank Archived 13 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine – Brisbane City Council Grave Location Search. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
- ^ "£44,085 LEFT BY FORMER PREMIER". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 11 October 1944. p. 3. Archived from the original on 16 July 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
- ^ "Ingleside". Brisbane Heritage Register. Brisbane City Council. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
- Murphy, D. J. (1981). "Denham, Digby Frank (1859–1944)". ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 7 January 2010.
- References to his Orange Lodge involvement are recorded in the minutes of Oxley True Blues LOL 19, held at the State Library of Queensland