Richard Sumner

Sumner was born in January 1859 at Bolton, Lancashire, to Joseph Sumner and his wife Ann (née Moore) and educated at the Mechanics' Institute.[1][2]

Arriving in Queensland in 1883 at age 24, he took up Pineapple farming at Zillmere in the 1880s before establishing a fruit preserving factory in Fortitude Valley.[2] Sumner was President of the Queensland Central Executive for the Labor Party, Controller of the Trade Boards and a Commissioner on the Commonwealth Price Fixing Board. He was also a director and guarantor for the Daily Standard.

Before joining the Labour Party, Sumner was a supporter of the Kidston–Morgan ministry and later the Opposition group. At the 1907 state election, he was a candidate for the seat of Nundah and defeated Mt Atthow by 152 votes.[3] He held the seat until the 1909 when the former member, Thomas Bridges, defeated Sumner by 178 votes.[4]

When the Labour Party starting forming governments in Queensland, it found much of its legislation being blocked by a hostile Queensland Legislative Council, where members had been appointed for life by successive conservative governments. After a failed referendum in May 1917,[5] Premier Ryan tried a new tactic, and later that year advised the Governor, Sir Hamilton John Goold-Adams, to appoint thirteen new members whose allegiance lay with Labour to the Council.[6]

Sumner was one of the thirteen new members, and went on to serve for four and a half years until the Council was abolished in March, 1922.[1]

On 6 April 1886, Smith married Eliza Jane Robinson at Brisbane and together had three sons and four daughters.[1] On 11 June 1927 he died at his home "Langton", Norman Parade, Eagle Junction, Brisbane in June 1927 after several months of illness. He was buried the same day at Nundah Cemetery.[2][7][8]