Sir Alfred Sandlings Cowley (24 April 1848 – 1 December 1926) was a politician in

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Australia. He was a

Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly This is a list of members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, the state parliament of Queensland, sorted by parliament. See also * Queensland Legislative Assembly electoral districts This is a list of current and former electoral div ...

Early life

Sir Alfred Sandlings Cowley on a horse, Ingham, ca

Cowley was born in

Fairford Fairford is a town in Gloucestershire, England. The town lies in the Cotswold hills on the River Coln, east of Cirencester, west of Lechlade and north of Swindon. Nearby are RAF Fairford and the Cotswold Water Park. History Evidence of se ...

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town is the city of Gl ...

, England, the son of Isaac Cowley and Charlotte his wife. When still a boy he accompanied his parents to Natal,

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

. He served an apprenticeship to the building and engineering trade, making the erection of sugar machinery a specialty; but he subsequently became an agriculturist, and was for three years engaged in cultivating sugar and coffee. Early in 1871 Cowley left Natal for the Australian colonies, and was a resident of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

for over two years, part of which time he was in charge of a central sugar-mill on the Macleay River. Cowley resided in the Maryborough district of

for three years, during which time he was engaged in the cultivation and manufacture of sugar. After that Cowley settled in the Lower Herbert district, and was actively employed in the sugar industry. Cowley was married at

Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg (; Zulu: umGungundlovu) is the capital and second-largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838 and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its Zulu name umGungundlovu ...

, Natal, on 24 July 1880, to Miss Marie Campbell.

Politics

Sir Alfred Cowley speaker of the Queensland Legislative Assembly seated in the speakers chair, circa 1906

Cowley was a member of the

Hinchinbrook Divisional Board The Shire of Hinchinbrook is a local government area in North Queensland, Queensland, Australia. The shire, administered from the town of Ingham, covers an area of , and has existed since its creation on 11 November 1879 as one of 74 divisions ...

and was its chairman from 1883 to 1886. Cowley was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly in the

electoral district of Herbert Herbert was a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state (colony until 1901) of Queensland. History Herbert was created in 1888. It was located in north-east Queensland, initially from Cairns to Townsville. It was abolished in the 1949 redis ...

on 12 May 1888, and on the formation of the

Griffith Griffith may refer to: People * Griffith (name) * Griffith (surname) * Griffith (given name) Places Antarctica * Mount Griffith, Ross Dependency * Griffith Peak (Antarctica), Marie Byrd Land * Griffith Glacier, Marie Byrd Land * Griffith Rid ...

– McIlwraith Government in August 1890 was appointed Secretary for Public Lands and Agriculture, and sworn of the Executive Council. He served as

Speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** In ...

from 1893 to 1899 and from 1903 to 1907. He was knighted in 1904. His parliamentary service ended on 18 May 1907 when he was defeated in the 1907 election.

Later life

Cowley died on 1 December 1926 at his residence ''Silky Oaks'' in Cross Street, Toowong,

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

and was buried on 2 December in the Toowong Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cowley, Alfred 1848 births 1926 deaths Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly Speakers of the Queensland Legislative Assembly Australian Knights Bachelor Burials at Toowong Cemetery People from Fairford English emigrants to Australia

Early life

Politics

Later life

Further reading

References