Alfred Cowley

Sir Alfred Sandlings Cowley (24 April 1848 – 1 December 1926)[1] was a politician in Queensland, Australia. He was a Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.

The Hon Sir Alfred Cowley
Speaker of the Queensland Parliament
In office 25 May 1893 – 15 February 1899
Preceded by	Albert Norton
Succeeded by	Arthur Morgan
Constituency	Herbert
In office 17 September 1903 – 11 April 1907
Preceded by	Arthur Morgan
Succeeded by	John Leahy
Constituency	Herbert
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Herbert
In office 12 May 1888 – 18 May 1907
Preceded by	New seat
Succeeded by	William Lennon
Personal details
Born	24 April 1848 Fairford, Gloucestershire, England
Died	1 December 1926 (aged 78) Brisbane, Queensland
Resting place	Toowong Cemetery
Nationality	English
Political party	Ministerialist
Spouse(s)	Marie Campbell
Occupation	Company director, Sugarcane farmer

Early life

Sir Alfred Sandlings Cowley on a horse, manager's house, Hamleigh sugar plantation, circa 1887

Cowley was born in Fairford, Gloucestershire, England, the son of Isaac Cowley and Charlotte his wife. When still a boy he accompanied his parents to Natal, South Africa.[2] He served an apprenticeship to the building and engineering trade, making the erection of sugar machinery a specialty; but he subsequently became an agriculturist, and was for three years engaged in cultivating sugar and coffee. Early in 1871 Cowley left Natal for the Australian colonies, and was a resident of New South Wales for over two years, part of which time he was in charge of a central sugar-mill on the Macleay River.[2]

Cowley resided in the Maryborough district of Queensland for three years, during which time he was engaged in the cultivation and manufacture of sugar. After that Cowley settled in the Lower Herbert district, and was actively employed in the sugar industry.[2]

Cowley was married at Pietermaritzburg, Natal, on 24 July 1880, to Miss Marie Campbell.[2]

Politics

Sir Alfred Cowley in the speakers chair in the Queensland Legislative Assembly, circa 1906

Cowley was a member of the Hinchinbrook Divisional Board and was its chairman from 1883 to 1886.[3]

Cowley was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly in the electoral district of Herbert on 12 May 1888, and on the formation of the Griffith–McIlwraith Government in August 1890 was appointed Secretary for Public Lands and Agriculture, and sworn of the Executive Council. He served as Speaker from 1893 to 1899 and from 1903 to 1907. He was knighted in 1904.[4] His parliamentary service ended on 18 May 1907 when he was defeated in the 1907 election.[5][6][7]

Later life

Sir Alfred Cowley

Cowley died on 1 December 1926 at his residence Silky Oaks in Cross Street, Toowong, Brisbane and was buried on 2 December in the Toowong Cemetery.[1][8][9][10]

Further reading

• Cowley, Donald C (1990), A Cowley story : with tables of the descendants of Sir Alfred Cowley (1848-1926) and his wife (Marie) Lady Cowley (1860-1940), the author, retrieved 20 June 2014

References

1. Saunders, Kay. "Cowley, Sir Alfred Sandlings (1848–1926)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Melbourne University Press. ISSN 1833-7538 – via National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
2. Mennell, Philip (1892). "Cowley, Hon. Alfred Sandlings" . The Dictionary of Australasian Biography. London: Hutchinson & Co – via Wikisource.
3. List of Chairmen and Council Members. Hinchinbrook Shire Council.
4. Shaw, Wm. A. (1971). The Knights of England: A Complete Record from the Earliest Time to the Present Day of the Knights of All the Orders of Chivalry in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and of the Knights Bachelors. 2. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company. p. 420. OCLC 247620448.
5. "Part 2.15 – Alphabetical Register of Members of the Legislative Assembly 1860–2017 and the Legislative Council 1860–1922" (PDF). Queensland Parliamentary Record 2015–2017: The 55th Parliament. Queensland Parliament. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
6. "Representatives of Queensland State Electorates 1860-2017" (PDF). Queensland Parliamentary Record 2012-2017: The 55th Parliament. Queensland Parliament. Archived from the original on 27 April 2020.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
7. "Cowley, Sir Alfred Sandlings". Re-Member Database. Queensland Parliament. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
8. "SIR ALFRED COWLEY". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 2 December 1926. p. 12. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
9. "Family Notices". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 7 December 1926. p. 12. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
10. "Brisbane City Council – Online – Grave Location Search". Brisbane City Council. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2011.