George Throssell

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix = The Hon
name = George Throssell
honorific-suffix = CMG


imagesize =
small

caption =
order = 2nd
office = Premier of Western Australia
term_start = 15 February
term_end = 27 May 1901
succeeding =
predecessor = John Forrest
successor = George Leake
constituency = Northam
majority =
birth_date = birth date|1840|5|23
birth_place = Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland
death_date = death date|1910|8|30
death_place = Northam, Western Australia
nationality =
party =
spouse =
relations =
children = Hugo Throssell
residence =
alma_mater =
occupation =
profession =
religion =The Hon. George Lionel Throssell, CMG (23 May 1840–30 August 1910) was the second Premier of Western Australia. He served for just three months, from 15 February 1901 until 27 May 1901 during a period of great instability in Western Australian politics.

George Throssell was born at Fermoy, County Cork in Ireland on 23 May 1840. The son of a pensioner guard, he came to Western Australia on board the "Scindian" in 1850 with his parents, and was educated at the Perth Public School. He began his own business as a produce merchant in the town of Northam in 1861 and served as the Northam postmaster from 1864 to 1874. Throssell became owner of a flour mill, farms and a chain of shops, and was active in the Northam community. He was first elected to the Northam Municipal Council in 1880, of which he was Chairman until 1883 and again from 1885 to 1887. He subsequently served as Mayor of Northam for broken periods until 1894. Throssell was popularly known as "the lion of Northam", and was Northam's first citizen in 1890 when was elected unopposed to the Legislative Assembly seat of Northam.

In 1897 Throssell joined Sir John Forrest's government as Commissioner of Crown Lands, a key responsibility in a rapidly developing colony. When Forrest resigned as premier to join the federal parliament, Throssell took over as premier and treasurer on 15 February 1901. However, in the election of the following April, the "ministerialists" or former Forrest supporters failed to attain a majority of seats. On 27 May Throssell resigned as premier and as the leader of his group, but continued as MLA for Northam. He did not contest the 1904 election for health reasons, but returned to parliament in 1907 after winning a by-election for the Legislative Council's East Province, the electoral region that included Northam. He served until his death on 30 August 1910.

George Throssell married Annie Morrell in 1861, and was the father of at least twelve children, one of whom was Hugo Throssell. George Throssell was created a CMG in 1901.

References

*Black and Bolton 2001
*cite book|author=Reid, Gordon Stanley and Oliver, Margaret R.|year=1982|title=The Premiers of Western Australia 1890–1982|location=Nedlands, Western Australia|publisher=University of Western Australia Press|id=ISBN 0-85564-214-9
*Dictionary of Australian Biography|First=George|Last=Throssell|Link=http://gutenberg.net.au/dictbiog/0-dict-biogT-V.html#throssell1
*cite book|author=The Constitution Centre of Western Australia|year=2002|title= [http://www.ccentre.wa.gov.au/html/prems_govenors/first.html Governors and Premiers of Western Australia] |location=West Perth, Western Australia | publisher=The Constitution Centre of Western Australia|id=ISBN 0-7307-3821-3
*Kimberly 1897

Persondata
NAME=Throssell, George Lionel
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=politician
DATE OF BIRTH=23 May 1840
PLACE OF BIRTH=Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland
DATE OF DEATH=30 August 1910
PLACE OF DEATH=Western Australia