Obituaries Australia

Charles Lumley Hill, c1905

State Library of Queensland, 157302

News was received yesterday of the death of Mr. Charles Lumley Hill, of Bellevue, near Esk, an ex-member of the Legislative Assembly, and one of the pioneer pastoralists of the Central West of the State. Mr. Hill had been ill only a short time, during which he was attended by Dr. Moore, of Esk, and Dr. Jackson. Their efforts proved unavailing, and he died at 7 a.m. yesterday. The funeral will take place to the Toowong Cemetery this afternoon, leaving the Roma-street Railway Station at 3.15.

The late Mr. Hill was born in 1840 at Tickhill, in Yorkshire, England, and came out to South Australia in 1863. In 1864 he came to Queensland, and engaged, in the pastoral industry in what was then the "Never Never land" of the Central West. He was one of the earlier pioneers of the Barcoo and Thomson district, where he founded several stations. In 1879 he entered Parliament, being returned to the Legislative Assembly as member for the Gregory electorate. He supported the Liberal McIlwraith and Palmer Administration during two years, and in 1881 resigned in order to pay a visit to England. On his return in 1883 he strongly opposed the Transcontinental Railway proposal then before Parliament, both by letters to the Press and from the public platform. After the defeat of the Bill in Parliament he contested the Cook with the late Mr. T. Campbell against Messrs. P. H. Cooper and John Hamilton. On being defeated, Messrs. Hill and Campbell appealed to the Elections Committee on the grounds of frauds perpetrated in connection with the election, especially at California Gully. As a result of the appeal Mr. F. A. Cooper was unseated and Mr. Campbell declared elected in his stead. In 1885 Mr. Hill was returned for the Cook as an Independent Liberal member, and sat on the Government cross benches during the Griffith administration. A year or two later he was a member of the Joint Committee appointed when a deadlock was come to between the two Houses of Parliament owing to the Legislative Council having amended the Appropriation Bill. At the following election Mr. Hill was defeated by Mr. John Hamilton, and since that time had taken no part in legislative work, although he had been an active worker at all the elections. He was one of the pioneer members of the National Association, and had remained a member ever since its foundation over thirty years ago. He had also been well known as an authority on stock breeding, and the name of the Bellevue stud is familiar throughout Queensland and the Southern States. He had of late years been interested in the pastoral industry in the north of Western Australia, and was one of the first to bring overland stock from that district. Mr. Hill some years ago married Mrs. Taylor, widow of the late Mr. Con. Taylor, and a daughter of the late Mr. George Harris, of Newstead, who was among the best known and most popular men of the early days.

At the meeting of the council of the National Association yesterday the chairman said he regretted to have to announce the death of Mr. Lumley Hill, and on behalf of the council he wished to put their regret on record. Mr. Hill was a man who had always strongly supported the association, and had taken a very deep interest in the show work generally. He moved that a letter of sympathy be sent to Mrs. Hill.

Mr. Baynes seconded the motion, which was unanimously carried.