Arthur Guinness (New Zealand politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Arthur Guinness
|
|
|---|---|
Arthur Guinness in the 1900s
|
|
| 7th Speaker of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 1903 – 10 June 1913 |
|
| Prime Minister | Richard Seddon |
| Preceded by | Maurice O'Rorke |
| Succeeded by | Frederic Lang |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Grey (previously Greymouth) |
|
| In office 1884 – 10 June 1913 |
|
| Succeeded by | Paddy Webb |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 January 1846 Calcutta, India |
| Died | 10 June 1913 (aged 67) |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Father | Frank Guinness |
Sir Arthur Robert Guinness (born January 11, 1846 – died June 10, 1913) was an important New Zealand politician. He is best known for being the Speaker of the House of Representatives, which is like the main leader of the country's Parliament.
Contents
Who Was Sir Arthur Guinness?
Arthur Guinness was born in Calcutta, India. When he was young, his family moved to New Zealand in 1852. He went to school at Christ's College, Christchurch from 1854 to 1859.
After school, he studied law and became a lawyer in 1867. He worked in Greymouth, a town in New Zealand. He also got involved in local government. He was part of the Westland Provincial Council from 1874 to 1876. Then, he joined the Grey County Council from 1876 to 1890, and was its leader for nine years.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In 1884, Arthur Guinness became a Member of Parliament (MP). An MP is someone elected by people to represent them in the country's main government, the House of Representatives. He first represented the area called Greymouth.
He served as an MP for a long time, from 1884 until he passed away in 1913. After 1890, his area was called Grey. He was a member of the Liberal Party.
Leading the House: Speaker of Parliament
Sir Arthur Guinness held several important roles in Parliament. From 1893 to 1902, he was the Chairman of Committees. This role meant he led smaller meetings and discussions within Parliament.
In 1903, he became the 7th Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Speaker is like the referee or chairperson of Parliament's main meetings. Their job is to make sure debates follow the rules, everyone gets a chance to speak, and discussions are fair. He held this important position until his death in 1913.
He also became the Father of the House in 1912. This title is given to the MP who has served the longest in Parliament.
His Life and Legacy
In 1875, Arthur Guinness married Elisabeth Westbrook. In 1911, he was knighted, which is a special honor given by the King or Queen for important achievements. He was then known as Sir Arthur Guinness.
Interestingly, he was also the great-grandson of the famous Dublin brewer, Arthur Guinness (1725–1803), who founded the Guinness brewery.
Sir Arthur Guinness died on June 10, 1913, and was buried in Greymouth Cemetery.
Images for kids
-
The coat of arms granted to Arthur Guinness's great-grandfather in 1814.
See Also
- List of Speakers of the New Zealand House of Representatives
