Sir Alfred S Cowley

1851 at Mill End, Fairford with parents and 5 siblings.

Emigrated to SA in 1859 with father who became a Baptist missionary preacher in Natal, mother and all living siblings except Jesse who had emigrated to NSW in 1856.

Apprenticed in Durban, specialising in the installation of sugar machinery. Also a sugar and coffee planter. Migrated to New South Wales on 23.01.1871 on the Alma, managing a sugar mill on the Macleay River and then working on a plantation near Maryborough, Queensland. 1875 started a small sugar farm on the Herbert River but it failed and he returned to Natal marrying Marie Campbell in Natal on 24 July 1880. They had 3 sons and 2 daughters.

Returned to Queensland in 1881 managing Hamleigh, a sugar plantation at Ingham. Gathered a large number of family around him - Middlebrooks, Ebenezer Cowley, Colonel Blizzard.

1888 was appointed a commissioner to investigate depression of sugar industry. Elected 12 May 1888 MP for Herbert as an ardent separationist becoming Secretary for Public Lands and then Agriculture between 1890 and 1893. Speaker of the House from May 1893 to Feb 1899 and again from 1903 to 1907. Knighted in 1904. Failed to be re-elected in Herbert in 1907 and another constituency in 1908.

Held many senior positions such as Chairman of the British New Guinea Company, Chairman of the Bank of Queensland and chaired the local boards of National Bank of Australia and the Australian Mutual Provident Society.

Died in 1926 at his Brisbane home and buried after a Presbyterian service in Toowong cemetry. Marie survived him inheriting estate of £8047.

See Photos for his biopic in Australian Dictionary of Biography.

Electoral Register entries:

1903 at Herbert (Ingham) and Brisbane (Toowong). 1905 at Brisbane (Toowong). 1908 Brisbane (Kingwood Point). 1913/1921/1925. Brisbane (Toowong).