The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate

FAIRBAIRN, Sir George (1855–1943)
Senator for Victoria, 1917–23 (Nationalist Party)

‘Parliament’, said Senator George Fairbairn, ‘should exercise supreme control over the public purse’. With his regard for the principles of the Constitution, his keen business acumen and eye for detail, Fairbairn exemplified the Senate’s developing role as a house of review. Born at Newtown, Geelong, Victoria, on 23 March 1855, the eldest of six sons and a daughter, his father, also George Fairbairn, was

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FERGUSON, John (1830–1906)
Senator for Queensland, 1901–03 (Free Trade)

John Ferguson, builder, contractor and mining investor, was born at Kenmore, Perthshire, Scotland on 15 March 1830, son of John Ferguson, weaver, and his wife Janet, née Ferguson. After a short period of primary schooling, he worked on the Marquis of Breadalbane’s estate. In 1847, he became a carpenter’s apprentice at Killin, later moving to Glasgow where he was employed as a journeyman and

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FERRICKS, Myles Aloysius (1875–1932)
Senator for Queensland, 1913–20 (Australian Labor Party)

Myles Aloysius Ferricks was born in Maryborough, Queensland, on 12 November 1875, the fourteenth child of Austin and Mary, née Sheridan. Educated at the Albert State School and Maryborough Christian Brothers, he subsequently passed the Sydney University Junior Examination. With a farm upbringing and a first-class engine driver’s certificate, he was able to turn his hand to a variety of occupations from teaching to

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FIELD, Albert Patrick (1910–1990)
Senator for Queensland, 1975 (Independent)

Albert Patrick Field was a member of the Senate for a very short period and was on leave for most of it, but he was at the epicentre of historic events that brought down the Labor Government of Gough Whitlam. He is remembered, if only briefly, in virtually all accounts of the dismissal of that Government in 1975, and even to some extent in

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FINDLEY, Edward (1864–1947)
Senator for Victoria, 1904–17, 1923–29 (Australian Labor Party)

Edward Findley, compositor, publisher, trade unionist and company director, wasborn, probably, on 8 September 1864 at Sandhurst, Bendigo, Victoria, to Timothy Findley, engine-driver, and his wife Mary, née Toohey. Both his parents hailed from Ireland, his father from Cork and his mother from Tipperary. In 1876, at the age of twelve, he began a five-year apprenticeship as a compositor, after which he worked on

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FINLAY, Alexander (1887–1963)
Senator for South Australia, 1944–53 (Australian Labor Party)

Alexander Finlay, coach painter and union official, was born on 14 November 1887 in South Yarra, Victoria, to Alexander, a painter of Scottish descent, and his wife Florence. When Alexander was still young, the family moved to his mother’s home state of South Australia, to Adelaide. The city would remain his home. He attended Unley Public School until he was twelve (1894–99), took up

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FITZGERALD, Joseph Francis (1910–1985)
Senator for New South Wales, 1962–74 (Australian Labor Party)

Joseph Francis (Joe) Fitzgerald, anti-Grouper and loyal supporter of H. V. Evatt during the Labor Split of the 1950s, was born on 5 January 1910 at Randwick, NSW, the son of Kathleen Hosey. In 1913 Kathleen married Patrick Fitzgerald, a labourer, and in 1921, Joe formally became Fitzgerald’s foster child. He was educated by the Christian Brothers and, from 1924 to 1925, at the

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FOLL, Hattil Spencer (1890–1977)
Senator for Queensland, 1917–47 (Nationalist Party; United Australia Party; Liberal Party of Australia)

Twenty-six at the time of his election, Hattil (Harry) Spencer Foll held the record for ‘youngest senator’ until 24-year-old Bill O’Chee was appointed to fill a casual vacancy in 1990. Foll, who apparently disliked the name Hattil, was born at West Brixton, London, on 30 May 1890 to John Hattil Foll, a butcher, and Kate, née Lamb. He was their second child and was

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FOREMAN, Dominic John (1933–2020)
Senator for South Australia, 1981–97 (Australian Labor Party)

Dominic Foreman spent most of his early working life in the automobile industry, first as an assembly worker, then as a union official. Committed to the Labor Party’s ‘great goal of social equality’, he continued during his years in the Senate to defend the rights and conditions of low-paid workers, particularly those in manufacturing industries.[1] Dominic John Foreman was born in Clare, South Australia,

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FOSTER, George Matthew (1884–1956)
Senator for Tasmania, 1920–25 (Nationalist Party)

George Matthew Foster, motor mechanic, Gallipoli veteran, land agent, temperance hotel director and Baptist, was born in Adelaide on 29 January 1884, the son of George Foster, a tailor’s cutter, and hiswife Isabella, née Forscutt. George, who was probably educated in Hobart, left school to become a motor mechanic and served in World War I as a sergeant in the 3rd Light Horse Regiment.

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FRASER, Alexander John (1892–1965)
Senator for Victoria, 1946 (Australian Country Party)

For a number of senators, a career in the Commonwealth Parliament has followed one in a state Parliament, but for Senator Alexander Fraser the reverse was the case. A senator for only four months, Fraser went on to a distinguished career in the Victorian Parliament. Alexander John Fraser was born at Fairfield, Melbourne, on 22 August 1892, the son of Scottish‑born parents, Simon Fraser,

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FRASER, James McIntosh (1889–1961)
Senator for Western Australia, 1938–59 (Australian Labor Party)

James McIntosh Fraser, Perth tram driver, city councillor and member of the wartime ministries of the Curtin, Forde and Chifley Labor governments, was born on 12 March 1889 at 26 Batchen Street, Forres, Scotland, to James McIntosh Fraser, ploughman, and Elspet, née Anderson. The young James was educated at the Milne’s Institution, Fochabers, until 1903. His initial employment was as an apprentice gardener at

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FRASER, Sir Simon (1832–1919)
Senator for Victoria, 1901–13 (Protectionist; Anti-Socialist Party)

Simon Fraser, a successful entrepreneur who became wealthy from dealings in construction, grazing and banking, was a prominent and respected public figure. He was born in Canada, in the town of Pictou, Nova Scotia, on 21 August 1832, the youngest son of a Scottish migrant, William Fraser, a farmer and miller, and his wife Jane, née Fraser. Educated at a local school, Fraser emigrated

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Browsing: f

FAIRBAIRN, Sir George (1855–1943)
Senator for Victoria, 1917–23 (Nationalist Party)

FERGUSON, John (1830–1906)
Senator for Queensland, 1901–03 (Free Trade)

FERRICKS, Myles Aloysius (1875–1932)
Senator for Queensland, 1913–20 (Australian Labor Party)

FIELD, Albert Patrick (1910–1990)
Senator for Queensland, 1975 (Independent)

FINDLEY, Edward (1864–1947)
Senator for Victoria, 1904–17, 1923–29 (Australian Labor Party)

FINLAY, Alexander (1887–1963)
Senator for South Australia, 1944–53 (Australian Labor Party)

FITZGERALD, Joseph Francis (1910–1985)
Senator for New South Wales, 1962–74 (Australian Labor Party)

FOLL, Hattil Spencer (1890–1977)
Senator for Queensland, 1917–47 (Nationalist Party; United Australia Party; Liberal Party of Australia)

FOREMAN, Dominic John (1933–2020)
Senator for South Australia, 1981–97 (Australian Labor Party)

FOSTER, George Matthew (1884–1956)
Senator for Tasmania, 1920–25 (Nationalist Party)

FRASER, Alexander John (1892–1965)
Senator for Victoria, 1946 (Australian Country Party)

FRASER, James McIntosh (1889–1961)
Senator for Western Australia, 1938–59 (Australian Labor Party)

FRASER, Sir Simon (1832–1919)
Senator for Victoria, 1901–13 (Protectionist; Anti-Socialist Party)

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