Edward Needham (30 September 1872 – 26 October 1956) was an English-born Australian politician. Born in Lancashire, he was educated at Catholic schools before becoming a coal miner and shipyard worker. He migrated to Australia in 1900, becoming a boilermaker in Fremantle, Western Australia. He was a union and Labor Party official.

Ted Needham
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
In office
9 July 1926 – 25 June 1929
Preceded byAlbert Gardiner
Succeeded byJohn Daly
Senator for Western Australia
In office
1 July 1907 – 30 June 1920
In office
1 July 1923 – 30 June 1929
Personal details
Born
Edward Needham

(1872-09-30)30 September 1872
Lancashire, England
Died26 October 1956(1956-10-26) (aged 84)
NationalityEnglish Australian
Political partyAustralian Labor Party
Spouse(s)Lillian Needham, née Lillian Gosden
Children2 boys
OccupationBoilermaker

In 1904, Needham was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly as the Labor member for Fremantle, serving until 1905. In 1906, he was elected to the Australian Senate as a Labor Senator for Western Australia. He was the only one of Western Australia's six Labor senators to remain loyal to the party after the 1916 split over conscription, and he lost his seat in 1919 as a result. Re-elected in 1922, his second Senate term lasted until his defeat in 1928, taking effect in 1929. In 1933, he returned to the Legislative Assembly as the member for Perth, shifting to North Perth in 1950. He left the Assembly in 1953. Needham died in 1956.[1][2] At the time of his death, he was the last surviving member of the 1907–1910 Senate.

References edit

  1. ^ Carr, Adam (2008). "Australian Election Archive". Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 19 November 2008.
  2. ^ Oliver, Bobbie (2000). "Needham, Edward (1874–1956)". The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate. Carlton South, Victoria: Melbourne University Press. pp. 360–364. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Australian Labor Party in the Senate
1926–1929
Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Earliest serving living Senator
1952 – 1956
Succeeded by