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Edmund Barton, Prime Minister of Australia. Photo by Swiss Studios-

Top 10 Little Known Facts about Sir Edmund Barton

Sir Edmund Barton was an Australian politician and judge. He served as the first minister of Australia from 1901 to 1903, holding offices as the leader of the Protectionist Party.

The Barton government established several new national institutions, which include the Commonwealth Public Service, Australian Defence Forces, and nationwide Women’s suffrage and laid the foundation of the White Australia policy.

He resigned from politics in 1903 and joined the High Court of Australia. He was able to shape the judicial interpretation of the constitution he had helped write. Barton served in the high court until the time of his death.

Learn more about Sir Edmund Barton in these top 10 little-known facts.

1. Barton was Born in a Family of Twelve Children

Barton was born on January 18, 1849, in Glebe, Sydney, New South Wales. Barton was the eleventh of twelve children born to Mary Louisa and William Barton and he had seven sisters and four brothers.

His parents were both born in London, England, although his father’s family was originally from Devon. Barton spent his early childhood in Glebe, but in 1851 the family moved into the inner city, living on Cumberland Street in The Rocks.

He had a relatively comfortable upbringing, although his father faced financial difficulties. To support the financially family during those periods, his mother ran a boarding school for girls.

2. He Was a University Graduate

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Barton began his formal education at what is now the Fort Street Public School. He later joined Sydney Grammar School, where he was among the first student after the school opened in 1857.

In 1865, Barton matriculated to the University of Sydney, aged 16 and was awarded a special prize by the university senate. At the university, he specialized in classics but studied French, Physics and Mathematics and he was fluent in Ancient Greek and Latin.

In 1868, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with first-class honours and was awarded the equivalent of the University Medal and a prize of 20 euros. Barton then proceeded to Master of Arts by examination in 1870.

3. Barton Loved Sports

He was a member of the Sydney University Cricket Club. In 1879, Barton refereed a cricket match at Sydney Cricket Ground between New South Wales and an English touring side captained by Lord Harris.

In 1870, Barton was a founding member of the Sydney Rowing Club, which is now the oldest rowing club. The club has a focus on its high-performance and elite rowing programs.

4. He Was into New Wales Politics

In 1876 Barton filled for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in the vote of the graduates of the University of Sydney but was beaten by William Charles Windeyer 49 votes to 43. He was also defeated again for the same seat in 1887 and won in August 1879.

Barton became Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1882. He was the youngest person to have been chosen presiding officer of any Australian legislative chamber.

He was appointed to the New South Wales Legislative Council at the instigation of Sir Henry Parkes in 1887. In January 1889, he embraced being appointed Attorney General of New South Wales in George Dibbs’s Protectionist government despite his previous support for free trade.

5. Barton Served as the First Prime Minister of Australia

Edmund Barton, Prime Minister of Australia. Photo by Swiss Studios-

Barton was commissioned to form a government one week before he became prime minister. He was appointed prime minister on January 1, 1901, when the new federal constitution was enacted.

As a prime minister, he performed many roles, such as assembling a ministry, forming domestic policies and attending to external affairs. However, on September 24, 1903, Barton resigned as prime minister to become one of the founding justices of the High Court of Australia.

6. He Formed the First Ministry of the Government of Australia

Barton formed the first ministry on January 1, 1901. The ministry comprised four incumbent colonial premiers, two former premiers and Barton’s key allies, Alfred Deakin and Richard O’Connor.

The first goal of the ministry was to retain office at the first federal elections held in late March 1901. The ministry was later replaced by First Deakin Ministry.

The ministry was replaced on September 20, 1903, by the First Deakin Ministry following Barton’s retirement from parliament to enter the inaugural High Court.

7. Barton Served at the High Court of Australia

Sir Edmund Barton in the regalia of a High Court judge. Photo by Crown Studios-

Barton was sworn to the High Court on October 7, 1903, together with his friends Richard Edward O’Connor and Samuel Griffith. Griffith became the inaugural Chief Justice of Australia.

The Deakin Government appointed two extra judges to the High Court in 1906, appointing former attorney general H.B Higgins and Isaac Isaacs. The elevation brought an adversarial aspect to the court for the first time.

In 1913, Barton served as acting chief justice for nine months while Griffith was overseas. Still, in 1913 a significant shift in the court’s composition, with two new seats created and a third judge appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of O’Connor.

Barton, together with Griffith, was several times consulted by the Governor-General of Australia on the exercise of reserve power. Barton served in high court until his death.

8. He Was a Family Man

While on a cricket trip to Newcastle in 1870, he met Jane Mason Ross, whom he married in 1877. Together they had six children.

There children are Edmund Alfred, Wilfrid Alexander, Jean Alice, Arnold Hubert, Oswald and Leila Stephanie.

9. Barton Received Many Honors

Throughout his career life, Barton received many honours even after his death. Barton received an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Cambridge in 1900 and a Doctor of Civil War from the University of Oxford.

In 1951 and 1969, Barton was honoured on postage stamps bearing his portrait issued by Australia Post, the Barton Highway near Canberra, Australia, was named after him. The Barton College of Deakin University was also named after him.

10. Barton Died Due to Heart Failure

He died on January 7, 1920, following heart failure at the Hydro Majestic Hotel, Medlow Bath, New South Wales.

Barton was buried in South Head General Cemetery in the Sydney suburb of Vaucluse.