Wilfrid Simmonds

Wilfrid Mylchreest Simmonds, MBE (19 December 1889 – 2 January 1967) was an Australian butcher, auctioneer, sugar farmer and politician, briefly a Senator for Queensland.

Wilfrid Simmonds
MBE
Senator for Queensland
In office
22 February 1950 – 19 March 1951
Personal details
Born(1889-12-19)19 December 1889
Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Died2 January 1967(1967-01-02) (aged 77)
Babinda, Queensland, Australia
Political partyCountry
OccupationSugar grower

Born in Cairns, Queensland, he was educated at Mulgrave before becoming a sugar cane grower. After serving in the military 1917–1919, he sat on Mulgrave Shire Council.[1] He was an unsuccessful Country Party candidate for the division of Kennedy at the 1940[2] and 1943 elections.[3] At the [[1949 Australian federal election|1949 election]], the first to use a single transferable vote under a proportional voting system, he was fourth on the coalition senate ticket and was elected to a short term seat. His term began on 22 February 1950 and was not due to end until 30 June 1952, however a double dissolution was called and his term ended on 19 March 1951. The coalition was defending 7 seats, having won all three seats at the 1946 election, but felt that its prospects of winning 6 of the ten seats at the 1951 election were best if it was only running 6 candidates.[1] As the most junior senator he was dropped from the coalition senate ticket.[4] Simmonds was appointed a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in 1961.[5]

He died in Babinda in 1967, aged 77.[1]

References
  1. Drinkwater, Derek (2004). "SIMMONDS, Wilfrid Mylchreest (1889–1967)". The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  2. Carr, Adam. "House of Representatives election 1940: Queensland". Psephos, Adam Carr's election archive. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  3. Carr, Adam. "House of Representatives election 1943: Queensland". Psephos, Adam Carr's election archive. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  4. "Liberal-C.P. Senate team selected". Cairns Post. 31 March 1951. p. 1. Retrieved 18 January 2023 – via Trove.
  5. "Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) entry for Wilfred Mylchrest Simmonds". It's an Honour, Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 10 June 1961. Retrieved 18 January 2023. Charities in North Queensland


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