Eric Spooner
New South Wales Parliament for Ryde | |
|---|---|
| In office 11 June 1932 – 23 August 1940 | |
| Preceded by | Evan Davies |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Williams |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Robertson | |
| In office 21 September 1940 – 21 August 1943 | |
| Preceded by | Sydney Gardner |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Williams |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 March 1891 Waterloo, Colony of New South Wales |
| Died | 3 June 1952 (aged 61) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Political party | United Australia Party |
| Spouse | Mary Berry |
| Relations | Bill Spooner (Brother) |
| Occupation | Accountant |
Eric Sydney Spooner (2 March 1891 – 3 June 1952) was an Australian politician.
Early life
Spooner was born in the Sydney suburb of Waterloo and educated at Christ Church St Laurence School. At 14 he became a telegraph messenger and studied at night at the University of Sydney to gain a diploma in economics and commerce. He married Mary Berry in December 1919. He established the accounting firm of Hungerford, Spooner & Co in 1922 with his brother Bill, a Liberal cabinet minister from 1949 to 1964.[1][2]
State politics
Spooner was elected the seat of
Spooner bathing costume
As the NSW Minister for Local Government, Spooner introduced an ordinance, commencing on 1 September 1935, regulating the design of swimsuits, principally aimed at males who were wearing swim trunks which left their chests bare.[8] The lowering of the upper part of a costume to show a bared chest was considered by some people, including the Bega branch of the Country Women's Association, as "disgraceful, and [meriting] rigorous attention".[9] A clergyman maintained that "if men were allowed to wear shorts, girls would want shorts and brassieres and that would lead to a steady increase of undesirable conduct on our beaches".[10]
Protests were received from the Surf Life Saving Association of Australia,[9] and the ordinance was derided as inappropriate for competitive swimming.[11] The prohibitive purchase cost of the required swimming costume was also mentioned. Spooner noted the change legalised costumes currently in use and removed the older "neck to knee" costumes ordinance, dating from 1910.[8]
The State of Victoria followed Spooner's regulation.[12] The law was still in effect in NSW in 1950.[10]
Federal politics and later life
In August 1940 Spooner resigned his seat and won the Federal seat of
Spooner died of cancer in Sydney in 1952, survived by his wife, three sons and daughter.[1]
Notes
- ^ ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "The Hon. Eric Sydney Spooner (1891–1952)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate. 20 November 1935. p. 6. Retrieved 8 August 2018 – via Trove.
- ^ "Mr. Spooner". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 November 1935. p. 15. Retrieved 8 August 2018 – via Trove.
- ^ "State finances: motion of urgency" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). New South Wales: Legislative Assembly. 1 August 1939. pp. 5604–5647. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "Mr. A. Mair new Premier". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 August 1939. p. 11. Retrieved 8 August 2018 – via Trove.
- ^ "Mr. Spooner's address". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 August 1939. p. 12. Retrieved 8 August 2018 – via Trove.
- ^ a b "Beach dress". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 November 1936. p. 12. Retrieved 1 March 2020 – via Trove.
- ^ Nambucca and Bellinger News. 27 November 1936. p. 3. Retrieved 1 March 2020 – via Trove.
- ^ The Sunday Herald. 27 August 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 1 March 2020 – via Trove.
- The Labor Daily. 18 November 1936. p. 5. Retrieved 1 March 2020 – via Trove.
- ^ "Victoria follows". The Daily Telegraph. 21 May 1935. p. 9. Retrieved 1 March 2020 – via Trove.
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