Charles Button facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Button
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Charles Button in circa 1890s
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| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Hokitika |
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| In office 14 January 1876 – 22 May 1878 |
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| Preceded by | John White |
| Succeeded by | Seymour Thorne George |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for City of Auckland |
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| In office 28 November 1893 – 14 November 1896 |
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| Preceded by | Alfred Cadman, John Shera, Thomas Thompson |
| Succeeded by | James Job Holland, William Crowther, Thomas Thompson |
| 4th Mayor of Hokitika | |
| In office 1869–1870 |
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| Preceded by | Evan Prosser |
| Succeeded by | Samuel Boyle |
| 1st Mayor of Birkenhead | |
| In office 1888–1901 |
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| Preceded by | new role |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Witheford |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 August 1838 Launceston, Tasmania |
| Died | 27 December 1920 (aged 82) Prospect Terrace, Mount Eden, New Zealand |
| Resting place | Waikaraka Cemetery Onehunga Plot Location Area 1 Block G Plot 67A, Onehunga |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Spouse | Louisa Button |
| Children | two |
| Occupation | Solicitor |
| Profession | Solicitor Judge |
Charles Edward Button (born 1838, died 1920) was an important person in New Zealand. He was a lawyer, a judge, and the mayor of two towns: Hokitika and later Birkenhead. He also served in New Zealand's Parliament as an independent politician.
Born in Launceston, Tasmania, Charles Button moved to New Zealand with his wife in 1863. He lived in several places, including Invercargill, Westland, and Christchurch, before settling in Auckland. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for two different periods. In his first election, he famously defeated Richard Seddon, who later became New Zealand's longest-serving Prime Minister. This was the only election Seddon ever lost!
Contents
Early Life and Education
Charles Button was born in Launceston, Tasmania, in 1838. He was the seventh son in his family. His father was part of Launceston's first local council. His uncle, William Stammers Button, was even the first Mayor of Launceston.
Charles went to Hobart High School. After school, he trained to become a lawyer (solicitor) in Launceston. In 1862, he married Louisa Cowell.
Legal Career in New Zealand
After working as a lawyer in Tasmania for a short time, Charles Button moved to Invercargill, New Zealand, in 1863. He continued his legal work there.
In 1865, he moved to Hokitika. Here, he became an expert in mining law. He worked with Walter Reid, who later became New Zealand's first Solicitor-General (a top government lawyer).
Later, in 1880, Button moved to Christchurch and opened a law office. By 1883, he moved again, this time to Auckland. In Auckland, he joined a well-known law firm. Eventually, he started his own successful law practice.
On 12 March 1907, Charles Button became a judge at the Supreme Court. This was a temporary job, filling in for another judge who was away. He retired after about one or two years of service.
Political Life
| New Zealand Parliament | ||||
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | |
| 1876–1878 | 6th | Hokitika | Independent | |
| 1893–1896 | 12th | City of Auckland | Independent | |
Charles Button first tried to enter Parliament in 1868. He ran in the new Westland South area. He didn't win that election.
He was elected to the Westland County Council for Hokitika in 1869. He also served in the Totara area from 1870 to 1872. He was chosen as the fourth Mayor of Hokitika in 1868–1869.
Winning Against Richard Seddon
In the 1876 election, Button ran for the two-member Hokitika electorate. He was running against several people, including Richard Seddon. Button and Seddon knew each other well from their legal work. They were often on opposite sides in court cases. Even though they had different political ideas, they became good friends for life.
In that election, Button and another candidate won. Seddon came in fourth place. This meant Charles Button was part of the only election defeat Richard Seddon ever had. Seddon later became New Zealand's longest-serving Prime Minister.
In 1878, the people of Hokitika thanked Button for his work. However, they were disappointed he didn't support Sir George Grey, another important politician. Because of this, Button resigned from Parliament.
Mayor of Birkenhead
When the Birkenhead Borough Council was created in 1888, Charles Button was elected as its very first mayor. He was the only person running for the job, so he won easily. He stayed mayor of Birkenhead for 12 years, until he resigned in January 1901.
Later Parliamentary Career
In 1893, Button was elected to Parliament again. This time, he represented the City of Auckland area. However, he was not re-elected in the 1896 election.
Community Involvement
Charles Button was very interested in science, especially chemistry and electricity. For 40 years, starting in 1863, he gave public lectures. In the early days, he even showed off electric light, which was very exciting for people at the time!
He was also active in the Presbyterian church. He was a church elder in Hokitika and in Christchurch. He even led the church choir in Hokitika. In Auckland, he supported the local YMCA, an organization that helps young people.
Death
Charles Button passed away on 27 December 1920. He was living in Mount Eden, Auckland, at the time. He is buried at Waikaraka Cemetery in Onehunga. His wife had died ten years earlier, in 1910. He was survived by his daughter and son.
