William Cole (Australian politician)

William James Cooper Cole (14 October 1858 – 13 March 1938) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly from 1910 to 1918, representing the multi-member seats of Stanley (1910-1915) and Port Pirie (1915-1918). He was a member of the United Labor Party until 1917, when he left to join the National Party in the 1917 Labor split.[1]

Cole was born at Williamstown in the Barossa Valley, and was privately educated in Kapunda. He undertook his apprenticeship with the Kapunda Herald (alongside future parliamentary colleague William David Ponder) and The Register newspapers, before working as a printer in Adelaide. He was subsequently editor and proprietor of the Laura Standard for eighteen years from 1896.[2][3] During his editorship of the Laura Standard, it became the first publication to publish verse by C. J. Dennis.[4][5] Cole was Mayor of the Corporate Town of Laura from 1904 to 1910.[6] He was also heavily involved in the Methodist church, serving as a lay preacher for 62 years and holding all possible offices in the church.[7]

He was elected to the House of Assembly for the United Labor Party at the 1910 election, representing the electorate of Stanley. Following an electoral redistribution, he was elected unopposed in 1915 for the new seat of Port Pirie.[2] He left the Labor Party for the new National Party in the 1917 Labor split over conscription.[8] He was defeated by a Labor candidate when he ran for re-election at the 1918 election.[9]

After leaving politics, he managed Ponders Advertising Agency in Adelaide until August 1937, when he retired due to failing health.[2][3]

He was twice married: in 1887 to Alice Johnson (died 1914) and in 1920 to Eva A. Langsford.[2]

References

  1. ↑ William Cole: SA Parliament
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Mr. W. J. C. Cole". Chronicle. LXXX, (4,244). South Australia. 17 March 1938. p. 49. Retrieved 1 August 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. 1 2 "PERSONAL.". Kapunda Herald. LXXIV, (5,035). South Australia. 18 March 1938. p. 2. Retrieved 1 August 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ↑ "Personal Reminiscences". Recorder (12,156). South Australia. 26 March 1938. p. 3. Retrieved 1 August 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ↑ ""The Sentimental Bloke's" First Published Poem.". Laura Standard And Crystal Brook Courier. XLIX, (2721). South Australia. 8 July 1938. p. 2. Retrieved 1 August 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ↑ "Laura's Local Government Activities.". Laura Standard And Crystal Brook Courier. XLI, (2165). South Australia. 13 May 1932. p. 1. Retrieved 8 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ↑ "In Memoriam". Australian Christian Commonwealth. 51, (2584). South Australia. 29 April 1938. p. 16. Retrieved 1 August 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ↑ "THE LABOR SPLIT". The Advertiser. LIX, (18,201). South Australia. 13 February 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 1 August 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ↑ "SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS.". The Catholic Press (1163). New South Wales, Australia. 11 April 1918. p. 27. Retrieved 1 August 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
Civic offices
Preceded by
G. I. Bills		 Mayor of Laura
1904–1910 		Succeeded by
J. F. Roennfeldt
Parliament of South Australia
Preceded by
Kossuth William Duncan		 Member for Stanley
1910–1915
Served alongside: Harry Jackson, Clarence Goode		 Succeeded by
Henry Barwell
Robert Nicholls
New district Member for Port Pirie
1915–1918
Served alongside: Harry Jackson		 Succeeded by
Lionel Hill
John Fitzgerald
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