Henry Dobson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Dobson
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| 17th Premier of Tasmania | |
| In office 17 August 1892 – 14 April 1894 |
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| Preceded by | Philip Fysh |
| Succeeded by | Edward Braddon |
| Senator for Tasmania | |
| In office 29 March 1901 – 30 June 1910 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 December 1841 Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land |
| Died | 10 October 1918 (aged 76) Hobart, Tasmania, Australia |
| Spouse | Emily Dobson |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Henry Dobson was an important Australian politician. He was born on December 24, 1841, and passed away on October 10, 1918. He served in the Tasmanian Parliament and later in the Australian Senate. He even became the Premier of Tasmania, which is like the leader of the state government, from 1892 to 1894.
Contents
Who Was Henry Dobson?
Early Life and Becoming a Lawyer
Henry Dobson was born in a place called Hobart Town, which is now Hobart, Tasmania. Back then, Tasmania was known as Van Diemen's Land. He had several brothers who also became important.
Henry went to The Hutchins School. After school, he worked for a business company. Then, he started learning to become a lawyer. In 1846, he was officially allowed to practice law in Tasmania. He later became a senior partner in a law firm called Dobson, Mitchell & Allport.
Starting His Political Journey
Henry Dobson began his political career on August 12, 1891. He was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly. This is one of the two parts of Tasmania's parliament. He represented the area called Brighton.
Just one month later, he became the Leader of the Opposition. This means he was the main leader of the political parties that were not in power.
Premier of Tasmania: What He Did
On August 17, 1892, Henry Dobson became the Premier of Tasmania. This happened after the previous government, led by Philip Fysh, lost power.
As Premier, Henry Dobson was very interested in education. He introduced new laws to make education mandatory for children in Tasmania. This was a big step for the state.
He also worked hard to promote Tasmania as a great place for tourists to visit. He wanted people to know about its beautiful scenery. He also encouraged fruit growing, which Tasmania is still famous for today.
Being Premier was not always easy. There were economic challenges, and he had to make tough decisions. When his plan to reduce government spending was rejected by the parliament, he decided to hold a new election. However, the situation didn't change much after the election. So, he resigned as Premier on April 14, 1894.
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Even after stepping down as Premier, Henry Dobson continued to serve in the Tasmanian House of Assembly until March 9, 1900.
Moving to the Australian Senate
Henry Dobson was a strong supporter of the Federation of Australia. This was the process where the different Australian colonies joined together to form one country. When Australia became a federation in 1901, Henry Dobson was elected to the first-ever Australian Senate. He represented Tasmania.
He served in the Senate for more than nine years. From 1908 to 1910, he was the Chairman of Committees. This is an important role that helps manage how the Senate works. He left the Senate on June 30, 1910, after losing the election.
Life After Politics
After leaving politics, Henry Dobson focused on promoting tourism in Tasmania even more. He helped start the Tasmanian Tourist Association in 1893 and became its president. He also helped create the Tourist and Information Bureau and the Scenery Preservation Board in 1915. From 1917 to 1918, he was the chairman of the National Park Board.
Henry Dobson passed away in Hobart on October 10, 1918.
