Ernest Purnell

The Hon
Ernest Purnell
Ernest Purnell, 1938
Member of the Queensland Legislative Council
In office
10 October 1917 – 23 March 1922
Personal details
Born
Ernest Bracher Purnell

(1866-09-27)27 September 1866
Swansea, Wales
Died25 July 1954(1954-07-25) (aged 87)
Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
NationalityWelsh Australian
Political partyLabor
SpouseAnnie Kelly (m. 1894, d.,1933)
OccupationMiner, trade union secretary

Ernest Bracher Purnell (27 September 1866 – 25 July 1954)[1] was a Trade union secretary and member of the Queensland Legislative Council.[2]

Purnell was born at Swansea, Wales to Thomas Purnell and his wife Caroline (née Bracher).[2] He worked in Broken Hill as a miner[2] before moving to Rockhampton where he began a long association with the Waterside Workers' Federation including the role of secretary for 37 years until 1938.[3]

Political career

When the Labour Party starting forming governments in Queensland, it found much of its legislation being blocked by a hostile Council, where members had been appointed for life by successive conservative governments. After a failed referendum in May 1917,[4] Premier Ryan tried a new tactic, and later that year advised the Governor, Sir Hamilton John Goold-Adams, to appoint thirteen new members whose allegiance lay with Labour to the Council.[5]

Purnell was one of the 13 new members, and went on to serve for four and a half years until the Council was abolished in March, 1922.[2]

Personal life

On 16 February 1894, Purnell married Annie Kelly in Rockhampton and together had seven children.[2] A member of the Ancient Order of Druids,[6] Purnell died in Rockhampton in July 1954[2] and was cremated.[6]

References

  1. ^ Ernest Bracher Purnell — Ancestry.com. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  3. ^ "TWO KILLED IN RED AMBUSH". The Morning Bulletin. Rockhampton, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 26 July 1954. p. 4. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  4. ^ "TWO HOUSES, NOT ONE". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 7 May 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  5. ^ "Goold-Adams, Sir Hamilton John (1858–1920)" Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  6. ^ a b "Family Notices". The Morning Bulletin. Rockhampton, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 26 July 1954. p. 4. Retrieved 13 April 2015.