HINDMARSH, Alfred Humphrey
Born 18 April 1860; died 13 November 1918; buried 14 November 1918; age 58
“Honest Alf”, a Member of Parliament for Wellington, was one of about a dozen MPs who caught influenza , succumbing to the infection in the earlier days of the epidemic. David Buick, MP for Palmerston North, was another who also died from influenza, on 18 November. A number of former MP’s died during this period with Andrew Rutherford, former MP for Cheviot dying from influenza on 11 November.
Alfred HINDMARSH was a prominent figure in Labour circles and also a lawyer and trade unionist. He won the Wellington South seat for Labour in the 1911 General Election, and again in 1914 when his opponent was the Mayor of Wellington, Mr J P Luke (who later became the MP for Wellington North).
Born 18 April 1860; died 13 November 1918; buried 14 November 1918; age 58
“Honest Alf”, a Member of Parliament for Wellington, was one of about a dozen MPs who caught influenza , succumbing to the infection in the earlier days of the epidemic. David Buick, MP for Palmerston North, was another who also died from influenza, on 18 November. A number of former MP’s died during this period with Andrew Rutherford, former MP for Cheviot dying from influenza on 11 November.
Alfred HINDMARSH was a prominent figure in Labour circles and also a lawyer and trade unionist. He won the Wellington South seat for Labour in the 1911 General Election, and again in 1914 when his opponent was the Mayor of Wellington, Mr J P Luke (who later became the MP for Wellington North).
Alfred Hindmarsh, c.1915.
Sourced from Wellington Harbour Board Members Album, Wellington City Archives
Sourced from Wellington Harbour Board Members Album, Wellington City Archives
Mr Hindmarsh was also a Wellington City Councillor from 1905 until 1915, and a member of the Wellington Harbour Board from 1911 until his death. He was an active trade unionist in Wellington from the 1890s, and prominent in the eight-hour work day movement. He was the foundation president of the Workers Educational Association in Wellington, and president of two local unions at the time of his death. More controversially, he was president of the Wellington branch of the Federated Seamen’s Union from 1895 until 1898 when intense infighting split the organisation after he criticised the premier of the time, Richard Seddon.
He was born on 18 April 1860, at Port Elliot, near Adelaide in South Australia, son of John Hindmarsh and Mary LONG. His father was born about 1820 in France but married Mary in 1853 in London. She was born in 1824 in England. Soon after their marriage they emigrated to South Australia, where their children were born: John (b1858), Alfred Humphrey b1860, Mary Susan b1862, George b1864, Florence Emily b1868, Edward Edmeades b1869.
Mary died in 1871, the same year as her son Edward. John married again, to Matilda Drew ABSALOM the next year, and about 1878 the family travelled to New Zealand, settling in Hawke’s Bay. John purchased a large sheep station at Pohui in April 1879 and practised as a barrister. He died in 1903 in Napier.
John’s son Alfred was educated in St Peter’s College, Adelaide, and trained as a lawyer in a Dunedin law firm. In 1891 he was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court in Christchurch. Shortly afterwards he moved to Wellington, where on 3 October 1892, he married Winifred TAYLOR. (Winifred had been born in 1864 in Melbourne; daughter of Malachi Taylor and Ellen KEAN.)
Winifred and Alfred had five children born in Wellington: Humphrey John b1896, d1970 Napier; John Edward b1894, d1895 Wellington; Sibyl Mary b1899, d1982 Akatarawa; Joan b1904, d1992 Lower Hutt; Thomas Victor b1910, d1972 Wellington.
Alfred practised as a solicitor in Wellington on his own account from 1894 until his death. He died intestate and as three of his children were minors, his brother John took over his affairs.
In 1918 he died in the Fever Hospital, Newtown on 13 November, a victim of the influenza epidemic. He was buried the next day in Karori Cemetery. The Evening Post of 13 November published an obituary:
Mr. Alfred H. Hindmarsh, M.P. for Wellington South, and a prominent figure in Labour circles for some years past, died in Wellington Hospital at half-past 9 o'clock this morning after a brief illness.
The deceased gentleman, who had suffered from a weak heart, contracted influenza a few days ago, and pneumonia supervened. As his condition became very serious, and room could not be found for him in a private hospital, he was removed to Wellington Hospital yesterday afternoon.
Deceased was born in Adelaide about 58 years ago, and was educated at St. Peter’s College in that city. He was a son of the late Mr. J. Hindmarsh, who settled in Napier in 1878, and a grandson of Rear Admiral Sir John Hindmarsh, first Governor of' South Australia. For some time after he came to New Zealand, Mr. Hindmarsh was in the office of Messrs. Smith, Chapman, Sinclair, and White, solicitors, Dunedin, and he was admitted as barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court, at Christchurch in 1890(i). Four years later he began to practice his profession in Wellington. At the general election in 1911, Mr. Hindmarsh stood as a Labour candidate for Wellington South; and defeated Mr. R. A. Wright, the present member for Wellington Suburbs. In December, 1914, he was again a candidate for the same seat, and once more he was successful, his opponent being Mr. J.P. Luke, Mayor of Wellington, and the present member of Parliament, for Wellington North. In 1905 Mr. Hindmarsh was elected a member of the City Council and held a seat in that body until April, 1915. In 1911 he entered the Harbour Board, and remained a member until his death. In all his public capacities Mr. Hindmarsh did excellent work.
Mrs. Hindmarsh died some years ago. The family consists of two sons—one of whom has returned from the [war] front—and two daughters.
On 14 November the Evening Post published details of his funeral:
The great respect in which the late Mr. Alfred Humphrey Hindmarsh, M.P. for Wellington South, was held was shown by the large attendance at his funeral this afternoon. Amongst those present were a large number of members of Parliament, including Sir Joseph Ward, the Hon. D. H. Guthrie (representing the Prime Minister, who was unable to attend), representatives of the City Council and Labour organisations, members and officers of the Harbour Board, and officials of Masonic Lodge Hinemoa. The funeral service was conducted by the Rev. W. Fancourt, vicar of St. Thomas's.
He was born on 18 April 1860, at Port Elliot, near Adelaide in South Australia, son of John Hindmarsh and Mary LONG. His father was born about 1820 in France but married Mary in 1853 in London. She was born in 1824 in England. Soon after their marriage they emigrated to South Australia, where their children were born: John (b1858), Alfred Humphrey b1860, Mary Susan b1862, George b1864, Florence Emily b1868, Edward Edmeades b1869.
Mary died in 1871, the same year as her son Edward. John married again, to Matilda Drew ABSALOM the next year, and about 1878 the family travelled to New Zealand, settling in Hawke’s Bay. John purchased a large sheep station at Pohui in April 1879 and practised as a barrister. He died in 1903 in Napier.
John’s son Alfred was educated in St Peter’s College, Adelaide, and trained as a lawyer in a Dunedin law firm. In 1891 he was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court in Christchurch. Shortly afterwards he moved to Wellington, where on 3 October 1892, he married Winifred TAYLOR. (Winifred had been born in 1864 in Melbourne; daughter of Malachi Taylor and Ellen KEAN.)
Winifred and Alfred had five children born in Wellington: Humphrey John b1896, d1970 Napier; John Edward b1894, d1895 Wellington; Sibyl Mary b1899, d1982 Akatarawa; Joan b1904, d1992 Lower Hutt; Thomas Victor b1910, d1972 Wellington.
Alfred practised as a solicitor in Wellington on his own account from 1894 until his death. He died intestate and as three of his children were minors, his brother John took over his affairs.
In 1918 he died in the Fever Hospital, Newtown on 13 November, a victim of the influenza epidemic. He was buried the next day in Karori Cemetery. The Evening Post of 13 November published an obituary:
Mr. Alfred H. Hindmarsh, M.P. for Wellington South, and a prominent figure in Labour circles for some years past, died in Wellington Hospital at half-past 9 o'clock this morning after a brief illness.
The deceased gentleman, who had suffered from a weak heart, contracted influenza a few days ago, and pneumonia supervened. As his condition became very serious, and room could not be found for him in a private hospital, he was removed to Wellington Hospital yesterday afternoon.
Deceased was born in Adelaide about 58 years ago, and was educated at St. Peter’s College in that city. He was a son of the late Mr. J. Hindmarsh, who settled in Napier in 1878, and a grandson of Rear Admiral Sir John Hindmarsh, first Governor of' South Australia. For some time after he came to New Zealand, Mr. Hindmarsh was in the office of Messrs. Smith, Chapman, Sinclair, and White, solicitors, Dunedin, and he was admitted as barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court, at Christchurch in 1890(i). Four years later he began to practice his profession in Wellington. At the general election in 1911, Mr. Hindmarsh stood as a Labour candidate for Wellington South; and defeated Mr. R. A. Wright, the present member for Wellington Suburbs. In December, 1914, he was again a candidate for the same seat, and once more he was successful, his opponent being Mr. J.P. Luke, Mayor of Wellington, and the present member of Parliament, for Wellington North. In 1905 Mr. Hindmarsh was elected a member of the City Council and held a seat in that body until April, 1915. In 1911 he entered the Harbour Board, and remained a member until his death. In all his public capacities Mr. Hindmarsh did excellent work.
Mrs. Hindmarsh died some years ago. The family consists of two sons—one of whom has returned from the [war] front—and two daughters.
On 14 November the Evening Post published details of his funeral:
The great respect in which the late Mr. Alfred Humphrey Hindmarsh, M.P. for Wellington South, was held was shown by the large attendance at his funeral this afternoon. Amongst those present were a large number of members of Parliament, including Sir Joseph Ward, the Hon. D. H. Guthrie (representing the Prime Minister, who was unable to attend), representatives of the City Council and Labour organisations, members and officers of the Harbour Board, and officials of Masonic Lodge Hinemoa. The funeral service was conducted by the Rev. W. Fancourt, vicar of St. Thomas's.
Researched by Penny Holden and written by Beverley Hamlin
Grave Information:
Section: ROM CATH
Plot: 106 R
Sources:
1. New Zealand Births Deaths & Marriages historical – www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
2. Newspapers – www.paperspast.natlib.gov.nz
3. Karori Cemetery – www.wellington.govt.nz
4. Family information – www.ancestry.co.uk
5. South Australia Births, Deaths, and Marriages – www.genealogysa.org.au
6. Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand – www.teara.govt.nz
A biography on the life of Alfred Hindmarsh appears in the Dictionary of New Zealand and is available on the website https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/3h28/hindmarsh-alfred-humphrey
Grave Information:
Section: ROM CATH
Plot: 106 R
Sources:
1. New Zealand Births Deaths & Marriages historical – www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
2. Newspapers – www.paperspast.natlib.gov.nz
3. Karori Cemetery – www.wellington.govt.nz
4. Family information – www.ancestry.co.uk
5. South Australia Births, Deaths, and Marriages – www.genealogysa.org.au
6. Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand – www.teara.govt.nz
A biography on the life of Alfred Hindmarsh appears in the Dictionary of New Zealand and is available on the website https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/3h28/hindmarsh-alfred-humphrey