William Henry Burgess (21 May 1847 – 1 May 1917) was an Australian politician and businessman. Burgess was born in Hobart and was educated at the High School, Hobart, and at Horton College, Ross. He began his career as a grocer but believing the administration needed improvement he stood as a City of Hobart alderman in 1876, winning the election. He became Mayor of Hobart in 1879 and in 1881 he stood for parliament, being elected

House of Assembly House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level. Historically, in British Crown colonies as the colony gained more internal responsible gove ...

member for

West Hobart West Hobart is an inner-city suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It is in the hills immediately west of the city centre, and shares the postcode 7000 with that district. History The area was first settled as a farming district, hosting poult ...

. He became Treasurer of Tasmania from 1884 to March 1887 under Premier

Adye Douglas Sir Adye Douglas (31 May 1815 – 10 April 1906) was an Australian lawyer and politician, and first class cricket player, who played one match for Tasmania. He was Premier of Tasmania from 15 August 1884 to 8 March 1886. Early life The so ...

and James Agnew. Burgess, who was the recognised Leader of the Opposition to the

Philip Fysh Sir Philip Oakley Fysh (1 March 1835 – 20 December 1919) was an English-born Australian politician. He arrived in Tasmania in 1859 and became a leading merchant in Hobart. He served two terms as premier of Tasmania (1877–1878, 1887–1892) ...

Ministry, was a captain unattached in the Tasmanian Defence Force. He was one of the Tasmanian delegates to the Federation Convention held at Sydney in 1891. In August 1891, owing to the stoppage of the Bank of Van Diemen's Land, with the management of which he was identified, Burgess resigned his seat in the Executive Council and in Parliament and his position as Leader of the Opposition. In July 1909, Burgess chaired the meeting in Launceston that created the

Tasmanian Liberal League The Tasmanian Liberal League was a political party in the Australian state of Tasmania. It was founded in 1909 and merged into the Nationalist Party in 1917. During its existence it formed a two-party system in the Parliament of Tasmania with th ...

, the state's first enduring anti-socialist organisation. In 1916 Burgess made a return to Tasmanian politics, winning election to the multi-member seat of Denison as a

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

; however, he died the following year in Hobart.

References

1847 births 1917 deaths Commonwealth Liberal Party politicians Members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly Treasurers of Tasmania Leaders of the Opposition in Tasmania {{Australia-mayor-stub