Austin Chapman

Sir Austin Chapman KCMG (10 July 1864 – 12 January 1926) was an Australian politician who served in the House of Representatives from 1901 until his death in 1926. He held ministerial office in the governments of Alfred Deakin and Stanley Bruce, serving as Minister for Defence (1903–1904), Postmaster-General (1905–1907), Minister for Trade and Customs (1907–1908, 1923–1924), and Minister for Health (1923–1924).

The Honourable Sir Austin Chapman KCMG
Minister for Health
In office 9 February 1923 – 26 May 1924
Prime Minister	Stanley Bruce
Preceded by	Walter Massy-Greene
Succeeded by	Herbert Pratten
Minister for Trade and Customs
In office 9 February 1923 – 26 May 1924
Prime Minister	Stanley Bruce
Preceded by	Arthur Rodgers
Succeeded by	Herbert Pratten
In office 30 July 1907 – 13 November 1908
Prime Minister	Alfred Deakin
Preceded by	William Lyne
Succeeded by	Frank Tudor
Postmaster-General of Australia
In office 5 July 1905 – 30 July 1907
Prime Minister	Alfred Deakin
Preceded by	Sydney Smith
Succeeded by	Samuel Mauger
Minister for Defence
In office 24 September 1903 – 27 April 1904
Prime Minister	Alfred Deakin
Preceded by	James Drake
Succeeded by	Anderson Dawson
Member of the Australian Parliament for Eden-Monaro
In office 29 March 1901 – 12 January 1926
Preceded by	New seat
Succeeded by	John Perkins
Personal details
Born	Austen Chapman[1] (1864-07-10)10 July 1864 Bong Bong, New South Wales, Australia
Died	12 January 1926(1926-01-12) (aged 61) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Political party	Protectionist (1901–09) Liberal (1909–17) Nationalist (1917–26)
Spouse(s)	Catherine O'Brien
Relations	Albert Chapman (brother)
Children	James Austin Chapman John Austin Chapman
Occupation	Company director

Early life

Chapman was born on 10 July 1864 in Bong Bong, New South Wales. He was the son of Monica (née Cain; also spelt Kean or Kein) and Richard Chapman, his father being a wheelwright and publican. His mother was born in Ireland. His given name was spelled "Austen" until 1897.[1]

Chapman attended the state school in Marulan until the age of 14, when he was apprenticed to a saddler working in Goulburn and Mudgee. By 1885 he was operating Chapman's Hotel in Bungendore, close to the eventual site of Canberra. Chapman moved to Sydney in 1887 and went into partnership with Edward William O'Sullivan in an auctioneering firm, of which he was managing partner. He was also the proprietor of the Emu Inn on Bathurst Street. His partnership with O'Sullivan was dissolved in 1889, and he subsequently established the Royal Hotel in Braidwood.[1]

New South Wales politics

In 1894 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as MLA for Braidwood.[2] Like most politicians from the southern border regions of New South Wales, he was an active supporter of federation of the Australian colonies.

Federal politics

Chapman c. 1907/08

In 1901 Chapman was elected to the first House of Representatives as MP for the Division of Eden-Monaro (his brother Albert succeeded him as the member for Braidwood in the New South Wales Parliament). A Protectionist, he was Minister for Defence in the first ministry of Alfred Deakin (1903–04), Postmaster-General in the second Deakin ministry (1905–08), and Minister for Trade and Customs from 1907–08. After a long period on the backbench as a result of a stroke in 1909, which paralysed one of his arms, he was appointed Minister for Trade and Customs and Minister for Health in the Bruce government in February 1923. He was criticised by both Nationalists and the Country Party and he resigned in May 1924 on the grounds of ill health and was subsequently made a KCMG.[1]

Chapman's most important contribution was his influence on the choice of the site of Australia's national capital, Canberra. He lobbied hard for the site on the Molonglo River near Queanbeyan, in his electorate. The success of his lobbying benefited many of his friends who owned land in the area, and also greatly boosted trade in Queanbeyan, the nearest town to the site. He was still MP for Eden-Monaro at the time of his death in Sydney of cerebro-vascular disease. He was survived by his wife, two daughters and two sons, James Austin Chapman and John Austin Chapman who both became distinguished soldiers.[1][3] The Canberra suburb of Chapman was named after him.

References

1. Gibbney, H. J. "Chapman, Sir Austin (1864–1926)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. Archived from the original on 22 March 2007. Retrieved 26 March 2007.
2. "Sir Austin Chapman (1864–1956)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
3. Thompson, Roger C. "Chapman, John Austin (1896–1963)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. Archived from the original on 22 March 2007. Retrieved 26 March 2007.

Political offices
Preceded by James Drake	Minister for Defence 1903–1904	Succeeded by Anderson Dawson
Preceded by Sydney Smith	Postmaster-General 1905–1907	Succeeded by Samuel Mauger
Preceded by William Lyne	Minister for Trade and Customs 1907–1908	Succeeded by Frank Tudor
Preceded by Arthur Rodgers	Minister for Trade and Customs 1923–1924	Succeeded by Littleton Groom
Preceded by Walter Massy-Greene	Minister for Health 1923–1924	Succeeded by Herbert Pratten
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Alexander Ryrie	Member for Braidwood 1891–1901	Succeeded by Albert Chapman
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by New	Member for Eden-Monaro 1901–1926	Succeeded by John Perkins