Henry Littleton Groom

Groom was born at Toowoomba, Colony of Queensland,[2] in 1860 to William Henry Groom and his wife Grace (née Littleton).[1] His father, an auctioneer, went on to be a member of both the Queensland Parliament and, being the only transported convict ever to do so, Australian Parliament.[3]

After his education at St Mary's School, Ipswich, and Brisbane Grammar School,[1] he commenced work at his father's newspaper, The Toowoomba Chronicle and before long he was promoted to business manager.[2] As his father's political interests gained momentum, Henry became the backbone of The Chronicle and in 1900 the business went from being a sole proprietorship to W. H. Groom & Sons with Henry now a director.[2]

When his father died in August 1901, Henry became managing director and remained in that position until the Grooms sold their interest in the business to the Dunn family in 1922.[2]

In 1904, Groom unsuccessfully contested the seat of Drayton and Toowoomba in the Queensland Legislative Assembly following the death of John Fogarty.[4] In July 1906 however, he was appointed by William Kidston[2] to the Queensland Legislative Council and remained there until the Council was abolished in 1922.[1]

His time in the Council was unremarkable and, except for one major speech on closer settlement, he rarely spoke.[2] As a politician he was inferior to his younger brother, Littleton Groom,[2] a future Speaker of the Federal Parliament and member for the federal seat of Darling Downs.[5]

In 1898, Groom married Marion Flora Black at Toowoomba[1] and together they had four children.[2] In his younger years Groom had been a member of the Queensland Defence Force, rising to the rank of Lieutenant. As a member of the Toowoomba contingent, he was sent to Charleville during the shearers' strike of 1891.[2]

Groom died in January 1926. After a short service at St James Church, his funeral proceeded to the Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery for burial.[6]