George Leake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Leake
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| 3rd Premier of Western Australia | |
| Monarch | Edward VII |
| Governor | Sir Arthur Lawley |
| In office 27 May – 21 November 1901 |
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| Preceded by | George Throssell |
| Succeeded by | Alf Morgans |
| In office 23 December 1901 – 24 June 1902 |
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| Preceded by | Alf Morgans |
| Succeeded by | Walter James |
| Member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia |
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| In office 7 September – 3 December 1886 4 January – 6 March 1888 |
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| Constituency | None (nominated by governor) |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia |
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| In office 28 November 1890 – 30 December 1890 |
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| Preceded by | None (new creation) |
| Succeeded by | Horace Sholl |
| Constituency | Roebourne |
| In office 23 June 1894 – 2 August 1900 |
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| Preceded by | Lancel de Hamel |
| Succeeded by | John Hassell |
| Constituency | Albany |
| In office 24 April 1901 – 24 June 1902 |
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| Preceded by | Barrington Wood |
| Succeeded by | Charles Moran |
| Constituency | West Perth |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 December 1856 Perth, Western Australia |
| Died | 24 June 1902 (aged 45) Perth, Western Australia |
| Spouse |
Louisa Emily Burt
(m. 1881) |
George Leake (born 3 December 1856 – died 24 June 1902) was an important politician in Western Australia. He served as the third Premier of Western Australia, which is like being the leader of the state government. He was Premier twice: first from May to November 1901, and then again from December 1901 until his death in June 1902.
George Leake was born in Perth, Western Australia. His family was well-known in the area. He studied law and became a lawyer in 1880. Later, he became the Crown Solicitor and Public Prosecutor, which meant he was a top lawyer for the government.
Leake first joined parliament in 1886 in the Legislative Council. He was also briefly a member of this group in 1888. In 1890, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly for the Roebourne area. However, he soon resigned to keep his job as Crown Solicitor.
In 1894, Leake returned to the Legislative Assembly, representing Albany. He often disagreed with the government led by Sir John Forrest. He became known as the Leader of the Opposition, even though it wasn't an official title back then.
When John Forrest left his role as Premier in 1901 to work in federal politics, George Throssell took over. But Throssell's government didn't last long. George Leake then became Premier and also served as the state's top legal officer, the Attorney-General.
Leake's first time as Premier lasted only five months. His government was defeated by a vote of no confidence, meaning parliament no longer supported him. Alf Morgans then tried to form a new government but couldn't. This led to Leake becoming Premier again just one month later. His second time as Premier lasted until he suddenly died from pneumonia in June 1902. He was 45 years old. George Leake is the only Premier of Western Australia to have died while still in office.
Early Life and Family Background
George Leake was born on 3 December 1856 in Perth, which was then a British colony called Western Australia. The Leake family was very important in the early days of Perth and Western Australia. His father, George Walpole Leake, was a lawyer and politician. His uncle, Sir Luke Leake, was the first Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Council. Another uncle, George Leake, was a merchant who arrived in the Swan River Colony in 1829.
Young George went to school at the Church of England Collegiate School (now Hale School) and St Peter's College in Adelaide. In 1876, when he was traveling to Adelaide for law school, he survived a shipwreck. The steamer he was on, the SS Georgette, sank off Margaret River.
In 1880, George became a lawyer in Western Australia. He joined his father's law firm. The next year, he married Louisa Emily Burt. Her father, Sir Archibald Burt, had been a Chief Justice. In 1883, George Leake was appointed Crown Solicitor and Public Prosecutor. This meant he was a senior lawyer working for the government. Leake was also interested in gold mining. He was part of a group that sent Harry Anstey to find gold in the Yilgarn area in 1887.
Political Career
In September 1886, Leake was temporarily appointed Attorney-General. He was then chosen to be part of the colony's Legislative Council. He held this position until December. On 28 November 1890, Leake was elected without opposition to the Legislative Assembly for the Roebourne area. He was offered a job in John Forrest's government, but he said no. He resigned from parliament on 30 December 1890 to keep his job as Crown Solicitor. In 1898, he became a Queen's Counsel, a special title for experienced lawyers.
On 23 June 1894, Leake was elected as the Legislative Assembly member for Albany. The next year, he became the Leader of the Opposition. This meant he was the main voice against the government. He strongly supported the idea of federation, which was about uniting the Australian colonies into one country. He was even the president of the Federation League. In 1897, he was chosen as a delegate for Western Australia at the Federal Convention. He attended important meetings in Adelaide, Sydney, and Melbourne to discuss the new nation.
On 2 August 1900, Leake resigned from his seat for business reasons and traveled to Europe. When he returned, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly again. This time, he represented West Perth starting on 24 April 1901. After that election, no single political group had enough support to form a government easily. The current Premier, George Throssell, resigned before parliament even met. The leader of the opposition, Frederick Illingworth, was then asked to form a government. However, he couldn't because Leake refused to work under him, and other members wouldn't join without Leake.
Eventually, everyone agreed that George Leake would become Premier. Illingworth would be the treasurer and colonial secretary. Leake became Premier and Attorney-General on 27 May 1901. Even though he had strongly supported federation, he disagreed with the new national government's plan for taxes on imported goods. He felt it would unfairly benefit Victoria over other states.
Leake's first government did not have the full support of parliament. It was allowed to govern for five months before being defeated in November. This meant he lost a vote of no confidence. Alf Morgans then formed a government. However, in the special elections held for new ministers, Leake's supporters ran against Morgans' new team. Three of Morgans' six new ministers lost their seats. Morgans then resigned. George Leake returned as Premier and Attorney-General on 23 December 1901. This time, he had much clearer support from parliament.
Final Days and Death
In June 1902, George Leake became ill with pneumonia. He sadly died on 24 June 1902. He is still the only Western Australian Premier to have died while in office. Two days after his death, it was announced that King Edward VII had planned to give him a special award, the Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG). The award was given to him after his death.
