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In Fermoy, Ireland |
 George Throssell George Throssell was born on 24 May 1840 at Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland. He was the eldest son of Michael [aka George Michael] Throssell, aged 42 and his wife Jane Ann Ledsam. His father was a private in the 17th Dragoon Guards, and as a pensioner guard on the convict transport "Scindian", Michael Throssell brought his family of three children to Western Australia in 1850 and became a Sergeant of Police in Perth. George was ten years old. With the death of both his parents in 1854-55, George found himself rearing a younger brother, Thomas, and a sister, Mary Jane. He sailed to Adelaide, sent them on to Sydney to be raised by a relative, and returned alone, and poor, to Perth. Having joined Walter Padbury's mercantile firm, he spent evenings at the Swan River Literary and Debating Society where Joseph Reilly extended his education. About 1860, while manager of the firm's premises at Guildford, George Throssell met Anne Morrell, daughter of an early settler and farmer in the Northam district. George married Anne on 6 June 1861 in St George's Cathedral, Perth.  St. George's Cathedral, Perth Next year George Throssell opened his own store in Northam's main street. Combining financial expertise, hard work and drive, he became the region's most successful businessman. He gave credit to small-farmers, bought and sold stock, crops and sandalwood, speculated in land and was a building contractor. As the dominating personality in the community life of the district he loved, he dreamed of opening the country to small-farmers. An active Anglican, he was a foundation member of Northam Mechanics' Institute and of the local temperance movement and lodges. He sat on the School Board, Road Board, Farmers' Club and Settlers' Association. A founder of Northam Municipal Council in 1879, he was Northam's first Mayor from 1887-1894. He won agreement to take the Yilgarn railway line via Northam instead of York and therefore Northam gained a branch of the Avon Valley railway in 1886. From 1890 he represented Northam in the new Legislative Assembly, holding the seat until 1904 and only once being opposed in five elections.  Train to Northam He supported Sir John Forrest's government and influenced the decision in 1892 to choose Northam as the starting point of the railway to the eastern goldfields. The town grew to be the principal centre of the Avon Valley and that made Throssell wealthy; his enterprises expanded into pastoral and metropolitan ventures. In parliament he advocated land reform, supporting the 1893 Homesteads Act and the 1894 Agricultural Bank Act. As commissioner for crown lands from March 1897, he used the 1896 Homesteads Land Purchase Act to enable the government to acquire and subdivide a number of large estates. 'The lion of Northam' had the luxuriant silver hair of a patriarch, a buoyant and assertive optimism and 'a habit of placing a hand on your shoulder when speaking'. He kept a shrewd eye on the main chance. Deafness led him to construct a large cardboard 'sounding-board' which he held against his chest with one corner of it in his mouth: he rid himself of tedious deputations by removing it to terminate the interview.  Perth to Northam He succeeded Sir John Forrest as Premier of Western Australia on 15 February 1901, when John Forrest resigned to join the Federal Parliament. However, he lacked Forrest's political control and only served in the position for three months.. Although a competent administrator, he was not a strong political leader and his deafness imposed insurmountable limitations. Three years later he retired to "Fermoy", his mansion on the hill overlooking Northam. It has now been renamed "Throssell House" after its owner. His wife died in 1906. The following year, 1907, George Throssell won the Legislative Council seat of East Province and in 1909 was appointed C.M.G. He fell down a staircase at his home, jarring his spine, died four days later on 30 August 1910 and was buried in Northam cemetery, thus fulfilling his three score and ten years. The youngest of his fourteen children, Captain Hugo Throssell, won the Victoria Cross at Gallipoli in 1915. |
