Edward David Miles (27 January 1845 – 3 March 1922) was a businessman, and member of the

Queensland Legislative Council The Queensland Legislative Council was the upper house of the parliament in the Australian state of Queensland. It was a fully nominated body which first took office on 1 May 1860. It was abolished by the Constitution Amendment Act 1921, which to ...

in Australia.

Early years

Miles was born at Pontypridd, Glamorgan, to Robert Miles and his wife, Gwenllian (née David). His family migrated to Australia in late 1862, settling in the

Castlemaine Castlemaine may mean: * Castlemaine, Victoria, a town in Victoria, Australia ** Castlemaine Football Club, an Australian rules football club ** Castlemaine railway station * Castlemaine, County Kerry, a town in Ireland * Castlemaine Brewery, Western ...

district of Victoria. In 1863, Miles headed to Ballarat to take up mining on the Sebastopol Plateau, residing there until 1875 when he travelled to Charters Towers, beginning a long association with the

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_ ...

mining industry. For the first four years in Charters Towers, Miles worked as a miner and engine driver before being appointed Town Clerk around 1880. Spending two years in that position, Miles resigned and in partnership with Joe Millican, become a mining agent under the business name of E.D. Miles and Co., Ltd. His former premises, the

ED Miles Mining Exchange ED Miles Mining Exchange is a heritage-listed commercial building at 65 Mosman Street, Charters Towers City, Queensland, Charters Towers City, Charters Towers, Queensland, Charters Towers, Charters Towers Region, Queensland, Australia. It was d ...

, survives and is listed on the

Queensland Heritage Register The Queensland Heritage Register is a heritage register, a statutory list of places in Queensland, Australia that are protected by Queensland legislation, the Queensland Heritage Act 1992. It is maintained by the Queensland Heritage Council. As a ...

Political life

Miles was for many years an alderman in Charters Towers and in 1897, its mayor. He also held many other roles including President of the Charters Towers Mining Institute and Mine Owners' Association, Secretary of the Charters Towers Hospital Board, a member of the Charters Towers School of Arts, Charters Towers Licensing Bench, and the Townsville Hospital Board. In July 1902, he was called up to the Legislative Council and remained a member for the rest of his life.

Freemasonry

Miles was for many years an enthusiastic

Freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

. He was the District Grand Master of the District Grand Lodge of North Queensland, the Grand Superintendent of the Royal Arch under the Scottish Constitution, and also Sovereign Grand Inspector-General for the Supreme Council of Scotland in Queensland, holding the position until ill-health forced his retirement. Holding the rank of 33rd degree, he had conferred upon him the title of Most Worshipful Past Grand Master. He was also prominent in Friendly Societies, and held the role of Past Provincial Grand Master of the Charters Towers District of the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows. As early as 1876, Miles had been secretary of Star of the North Lodge, holding the position for many years.

Personal life

Miles married Eliza Jane Herring in 1876 but did not have any children. Dying at ''Narambla'', his home at Ascot,

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 ...

in 1922, Miles was given a

Masonic funeral In some masonic jurisdictions, a Masonic Funeral is a rite afforded to Master Masons in good standing with their Lodges. Under extenuating circumstances satisfactory to the Master of their Lodges, Masonic funerals may also be conducted in memory of ...

and buried in the Toowong Cemetery.Miles Edward David
– Brisbane City Council Grave Location Search. Retrieved 22 March 2015.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Miles, Edward Members of the Queensland Legislative Council 1845 births 1922 deaths People from the Colony of Victoria Colony of Queensland people Australian Freemasons Burials at Toowong Cemetery