Great Britain toke possession of what was to become Western Australia in 1791.
No attempt to colonize or organize the territory was however made until 1825, when
alarmed by French explorations in the region, the British established a first small
settlement at Albany.
The region was formally annexed in 1829 and in 1831, after having been ruled as a
part of New South Wales for two years, Western Australia became a separate British
colony.
It was granted internal autonomy in 1890.
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BRITISH CHIEF ADMINISTRATORS
Governors
1847 - 1848 LtCol. Frederick Chidley Irwin (2x) 1788 - 1860
1848 - 1855 Capt. Charles Fitzgerald 1792 - 1887
1855 - 1862 Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy 1810 - 1883
1862 LtCol. John Bruce*
1862 - 1868 John Stephen Hampton
1868 - 1869 LtCol. John Bruce (2x)*
1869 - 1875 Frederick Aloysius Weld 1823 - 1891
1875 LtCol. E. D. Harvest*
1875 - 1877 William Cleaver Francis Robinson 1834 - 1897
1877 LtCol. E. D. Harvest* (2x)
1877 - 1880 MajGen. Sir Harry St. George Ord 1819 - 1885
1880 - 1883 William Cleaver Francis Robinson (2x)
1883 Henry Thomas Wrensfordsley* 1825 - 1908
1883 - 1889 Sir (1884) Frederick Napier Broome 1842 - 1896
1889 - 1890 Sir Malcolm Fraser* 1834 - 1900
1890 - 1895 William Cleaver Francis Robinson (3x)
1895 Sir Alexander Campbell Onslow* 1842 - 1908
1895 - 1900 LtCol. Sir Gerard Smith 1839 - 1920
1900 - 1901 Sir Alexander Campbell Onslow* (2x)
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In 1901 Western Australia became a founding member state of the Commonwealth of
Australia. (1)
(1) West Australian secessionism - mainly based on the idea that being part of
the Commonwealth of Australia prevented a full economic development of the
state - was at first advocated by a minority, lacking popular support :
the first major secessionist movement, the Secession League [leader : James
MacCallum Smith (1886 - 1939)] disappeared after an existence of three years
(1926 - 1929) without having achieved anything.
Things changed in 1930 when - as a consequence of the economic depression -
part of the population rallied to the newly founded Dominion League [leader
: Keith Watson (1900-1973)] that advocated secession and the creation of a
separate Dominion of Western Australia.
In 1933 a referendum about secession was organized and as a majority of the
voters (138,653 against 70,706) voted in favour, a delegation was sent to
London in 1935 to start negociations. The UK government refused however to
consider the matter.
As a consequence of this failure and of the economic revival, the League
now gradually lost its support and by 1938 it ceased to exist.
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ROYAL REPRESENTATIVES
Governors
1901 Sir Alexander Campbell Onslow* s.a.
1901 Sir Edward Albert Stone* 1844 - 1920
1901 - 1902 Capt. Sir Arthur Lawley 1860 - 1932
1902 - 1903 Sir Edward Albert Stone* (2x)
1903 - 1909 Adm. Sir Frederick George Denham Bedford 1838 - 1913
1909 Sir Edward Albert Stone* (3x)
1909 - 1913 Sir Gerald Strickland 1861 - 1940
1913 Sir Edward Albert Stone* (4x)
1913 - 1917 MajGen. Sir Henry Barron 1847 - 1921
1917 Sir Edward Albert Stone* (5x)
1917 - 1920 Sir William Grey Ellison Macartney 1852 - 1924
1920 - 1924 Sir Francis Alexander Newdigate
Newdegate 1862 - 1936
1924 Sir Robert Furse McMillan* 1858 - 1931
1924 - 1931 Col. Sir William Robert Campion 1870 - 1951
1931 - 1933 Sir John Alfred Northmore* 1865 - 1958
1933 - 1951 Sir James Mitchell (* until 1948) 1866 - 1951
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MINISTERS
Premiers
1901 Sir John Forrest s.a.
1901 George Throssell 1840 - 1910
1901 George Leake 1856 - 1902
1901 Alfred Edward Morgans 1850 - 1933
1901 - 1902 George Leake (2x)
1902 - 1904 Sir William Hartwell James 1863 - 1943
1904 - 1905 Henry Daglish 1866 - 1920
1905 - 1906 Sir Cornthwaite Hector Rason 1858 - 1927
1906 - 1910 Sir Newton James Moore 1870 - 1936
1910 - 1911 Frank Wilson 1859 - 1918
1911 - 1916 John Scaddan 1876 - 1934
1916 - 1917 Frank Wilson (2x)
1917 - 1919 Sir Henry Bruce Lefroy 1854 - 1930
1919 Sir Harry Pateshall Colebatch 1872 - 1953
1919 - 1924 Sir James Mitchell 1866 - 1951
1924 - 1930 Phillip Collier 1873 - 1948
1930 - 1933 Sir James Mitchell (2x)
1933 - 1936 Phillip Collier (2x)
1936 - 1945 John Collings Wilcock 1879 - 1956
1945 - 1947 Frank Joseph Scott Wise 1897 - 1986
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