Horace Sholl

Sholl was born in Perth to Mary Ann (née Berckelman) and Robert John Sholl. His mother was an immigrant from Ireland, while his father, a Cornishman, was a government magistrate. An older brother, Robert Frederick Sholl, and a brother-in-law, Edward Scott, were also members of parliament. Sholl left Perth at the age of 14 to join his parents in Roebourne, a newly founded settlement in what is now referred to as the Pilbara region. He eventually entered the pearling industry with his brother, and with the profits was able to buy a large station on the Yule River.[1]

In April 1888, Sholl stood at a Legislative Council by-election for North District (caused by the death of Alexander McRae), and was elected unopposed. However, he resigned from parliament after just over two months in office, allowing Septimus Burt (who had recently been defeated in a by-election) to take his place. His resignation was praised as an act of "self-sacrifice" by The Western Mail.[2] In 1891, Sholl returned to parliament as a member of the Legislative Assembly, which had only been created the previous year. He won a by-election for the seat of Roebourne, caused by the resignation of George Leake. Leake was the first member of the Legislative Assembly to resign his seat, and Sholl became the first member to be elected at a by-election.[3]

Sholl was re-elected at the 1894 and 1897 general elections, but left parliament at the 1901 election.[3] He eventually retired to Peppermint Grove, a riverside suburb of Perth. Sholl died there in 1927, aged 76.[4] He had married Jessie Cave in 1884, with whom he had three sons and seven daughters. Two of his sons-in-law, Thomas Davy and Hubert Parker, were also member of parliaments.[1]

• Pearling in Western Australia