Jim Sparkes

Sir Walter Beresford James Gordon Sparkes (22 April 1889 – 15 June 1974) was a Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.[1]

Sir Jim Sparkes
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Dalby
In office
11 June 1932  11 May 1935
Preceded byWilfred Russell
Succeeded byGodfrey Morgan
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Aubigny
In office
29 March 1941  28 May 1960
Preceded byArthur Moore
Succeeded byLes Diplock
Personal details
Born
Walter Beresford James Gordon Sparkes

(1889-04-22)22 April 1889
Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia
Died15 June 1974(1974-06-15) (aged 85)
Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
NationalityAustralian
Political partyCountry Party
Other political
affiliations
Country and Progressive National Party
Spouse(s)Jessie Elizabeth Lang (m.1912), Alice Goongarry Scott (m.1920 d.1983)
OccupationCattle breeder

Early life

Sparkes was born at Dubbo, New South Wales in 1889 to James Sparkes and his wife Mary Ann (née Yates). He was educated at Croydon Park Public School and St Joseph's College, Sydney before moving to Queensland in 1910. By 1912 he had purchased Lyndley Hereford Stud at Jandowae, one of the oldest and best known Hereford studs in Australia. Sparkes expanded the stud from its original 3,000 acres to 16,000 acres by acquiring adjoining properties. Over the years he went on to acquire many properties across the southern part of the state.[1]

Politics

Sparkes was elected as a councillor to the Wambo Shire Council in 1916 and eventually became its chairman between 1922–31 and 1937–52.[1] He entered the state parliament in 1932, winning Dalby for the Country and Progressive National Party but did not seek re-election in 1935.[2] Representing the Country Party in 1941, Sparkes won the seat of Aubigny, holding it for 19 years until his defeat in 1960 by Queensland Labor Party candidate, Les Diplock. During this period he was the Opposition whip from 1950 till 1957.

Personal life

Sparkes was married twice: To Jessie Elizabeth Lang in 1912 and Alice Goongarry Scott in 1920.[3] He had 6 children with his two partners including Sir Robert Sparkes, president of the Queensland branch of the National Party from 1970 till 1990.[1]

He was knighted in 1970.

Sparkes died at Toowoomba in 1974 and was cremated.[3] The Queensland Premier at the time, Joh Bjelke-Petersen told the members of parliament that "Sparkes spoke almost daily in this Chamber on behalf of the working man and the man on the land. He always fought their case, and fought it hard".[3]

gollark: Shadowdrake or someone had some *great* name suggestions like "Bob the Unbuilder" on that thread, which I have now used.
gollark: Yes, but if it was a game feature it could be done safely.
gollark: I mean, *arguably* they might be *slightly* terrible ideas with horrible downsides, but you know.
gollark: I came up with the idea of making names a tradeable good like eggs/hatchlings, and wanted to post that along with my earlier one of increasing the length limit and removing character set constraints, in order to encourage more varied discussion.
gollark: I didn't even get to post my great ideas about it.

References

  1. "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Archived from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  2. "QUEENSLAND ELECTIONS". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 13 May 1935. p. 15. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  3. Sparkes, Sir Walter Beresford James Gordon (1889–1974) Archived 23 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by
Wilfred Russell
Member for Dalby
19321935
Succeeded by
Godfrey Morgan
Preceded by
Arthur Moore
Member for Aubigny
19411960
Succeeded by
Les Diplock
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