Charles Moran (Australian politician)

(Redirected from Charles John Moran)

Charles John Moran (20 November 1868 – 18 December 1936) was an Australian politician who served in the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1894 to 1901 and again from 1902 to 1905. He was a minister in the government of George Throssell.

Charles Moran
Member of the Legislative Assembly
of Western Australia
In office
9 July 1894 – 7 May 1897
Preceded byNone (new seat)
Succeeded byWilliam Oats
ConstituencyYilgarn
In office
7 May 1897 – 24 April 1901
Preceded byNone (new seat)
Succeeded byNone (abolished)
ConstituencyEast Coolgardie
In office
14 July 1902 – 27 October 1905
Preceded byGeorge Leake
Succeeded byFrederick Illingworth
ConstituencyWest Perth
Personal details
Born(1868-11-20)20 November 1868
Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Died18 December 1936(1936-12-18) (aged 68)
Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia

Early life edit

Moran was born in Toowoomba, Queensland, to Irish parents. He was educated at Catholic schools in Toowoomba and Brisbane, and matriculated to the University of Sydney, although he did not complete a degree there. Moran moved to Western Australia in 1890,[1] and initially worked as an apprentice to architect Andrea Stombuco, superintending part of the construction of the General Post Office Building in Perth. He left for the Eastern Goldfields in 1893, working for a water supply contractor, and subsequently participated in the abortive Siberia rush.[2]

Politics edit

Moran stood for parliament at the 1894 general election, aged 25, and was elected to the new seat of Yilgarn. His opponent was Lancel de Hamel, who had been in parliament since 1889. At the 1897 election, Moran transferred to the new seat of East Coolgardie.[3] When George Throssell replaced Sir John Forrest as premier in early 1901, he was appointed Commissioner of Crown Lands in his new ministry. However, Throssell's government lasted for little more than three months before he was replaced as premier by George Leake, and Moran was not retained as a minister.[2]

At the 1901 election, the seat of East Coolgardie was abolished, and Moran unsuccessfully attempted to transfer to the new seat of Kalgoorlie. He was defeated by the Labor candidate, William Johnson. Later in the year, Moran also contested the West Kimberley by-election, but was defeated by Sydney Pigott. Moran eventually re-entered parliament at the 1902 West Perth by-election, which had been caused by the death of the premier, George Leake. He was re-elected at the 1904 state election, but at the 1905 election attempted to transfer to the seat of Perth. He was unsuccessful, losing to the sitting member, Harry Brown.[3]

Later life edit

In 1907, Moran purchased a farm in Wagin (in the Great Southern region). He subsequently became prominent in agricultural circles, and was a trustee of the Agricultural Bank of Western Australia from 1921 to 1930. Moran died in Perth in 1936, aged 68. He had married Elizabeth Healy on 28 August 1895,[1] with whom he had three sons and three daughters.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "A Wedding". The Northam Advertiser. Vol. 2, no. 94. Western Australia. 7 September 1895. p. 1 (Supplement to the NORTHAM ADVERTISER). Retrieved 5 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ a b c "Charles John Moran". Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  3. ^ a b Black, David; Prescott, Valerie (1997). Election statistics : Legislative Assembly of Western Australia, 1890-1996. Perth, [W.A.]: Western Australian Parliamentary History Project and Western Australian Electoral Commission. ISBN 0730984095.
Parliament of Western Australia
New seat Member for Yilgarn
1894–1897
Succeeded by
New seat Member for East Coolgardie
1897–1901
Abolished
Preceded by Member for West Perth
1902–1905
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Commissioner of Crown Lands
1901
Succeeded by