Ernest Atherton

The Honourable
Ernest Atherton
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Chillagoe
In office
11 May 1929 – 10 June 1932
Preceded byJohn O'Keefe
Succeeded bySeat abolished
Personal details
Born
Ernest Albert Atherton

(1879-03-22)22 March 1879
Mareeba, Queensland, Australia
Died29 June 1954(1954-06-29) (aged 75)
Mareeba, Queensland, Australia
Political partyCountry and Progressive National Party
SpouseHonoria Christiana Svendsen OBE (m.1912 d.1975)
RelationsJohn Atherton (father)
OccupationButcher, farmer

Ernest Albert Atherton[1] (22 March 1879 – 29 June 1954) was a farmer and member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.[2]

Early days

Atherton was the youngest son of John Atherton (pioneer) and his wife Catherine (née Grainger).[2] The family had settled on the extensive Emerald End cattle station and their station homestead was attacked many times by bands of indigenous people.[3] He was educated at Cairns State School and also received private tuition in Port Douglas. When he finished his education he spent time as a butcher and storekeeper before becoming a sugar cane and dairy farmer.[2]

Political career

After being the first chairman of the Barron Shire Council, at the 1929 state election, Atherton contested the seat of Chillagoe for the Country and Progressive National Party and defeated Labor sitting member, John O'Keefe.[4] He was immediately elevated to the ministry as the Secretary for Mines in the Moore Ministry but by the 1932 state election Chillagoe had been abolished. He stood for the new seat of The Tableland, but was defeated by Labor candidate Harry Bruce.[5]

Personal life

On 10 April 1912, Atherton married Honoria Christiana Svendsen[2] (died 1975)[1] and together had two sons and one daughter.[2] Honoria went on to be President of Queensland CWA and earned herself an OBE.[2][6]

Atherton died in June 1954[2] and was buried in the Atherton family cemetery at Emerald End.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b Family history research – Queensland Government births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  3. ^ a b Northern Pioneer's Death – The Cairns Post. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  4. ^ Figures of the polling – The Sunday Mail. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  5. ^ State Government Defeated – Townsville Bulletin. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  6. ^ "ATHERTON, Honoria Christina". It's An Honour. Australian Government. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by Member for Chillagoe
1929–1932 		Abolished