Wikipedia

John William Larter

John William Larter (1858 – September 1911) was a Station Master, auctioneer and insurance agent, local politician, magistrate and a Chief President of the Australian Natives' Association (ANA).

John William Larter
Born1858
Kyneton
Died4 August 1911(1911-08-04) (aged 47–48)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation(s)Station Master, auctioneer and insurance agent, local politician, magistrate
PartnerRosa Elizabeth Crisp
ChildrenSeveral
Parent(s)George Henry Larter and Mary Ann Halliday

Background

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Larter was born in Kyneton, Victoria, in 1858, the son of railway employee George Henry Larter and Mary Ann Halliday. Larter, aged about 16 years old[1] followed his father into the railways; in 1883 he was listed in the Freemasons’ Register as Station Master at Craigieburn.[2]

In 1880 Larter married Rosa Elizabeth Crisp.

Employment

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Initially joining the railway in about 1874[1] he progressed to Station Master at Craigieburn in 1883. In 1886 he ran a business as an auctioneer and insurance agent.[3] In 1893 he was made a magistrate and then chief magistrate.[4][5]

Community

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The first report of Larter in Ballarat is "a notice from Messrs Larter and Crisp, house, land, and estate agents, 4 Peel street north",[6] and then at a land sale in July 1885.[7]

Apart from his not insignificant activity in the ANA Larter was involved in a number of important community organisations. Some examples include:

  • In 1891 Larter is recorded as being President and a life member of the Ballarat Imperial Football Club attending their annual meeting with Joseph Kirton (ANA Chief President 1895).[8] He became a Life Patron of the club in 1891.[9]
  • Ballarat Swimming Club had Larter as Mayor attend their Annual Meeting with Carthy Salmon (ANA Chief President 1898) in 1993.[10]
  • The Ballarat Cricket Club had Larter on its committee of management.[11]
  • He was President of the Bowling Club in 1994.[12]
  • Larter was appointed to a committee to consideration the legal standing of the brigade Fire-brigade in 1889.[13] He also participated in other ways to support the brigade including becoming a member.[14][15] He retired from the Fire-brigade in 1893.[16]
  • He participated in the Ballarat Water Commission Annual Meeting 1893.[17]
  • Attended meeting of the Benevolent Asylum committee.[18]
  • Larter was on the committee for the Ballarat Australian Juvenile Industrial Exhibition.[19]
  • Participated in the formation of a Debating Society in 1886.[20]
  • In 1994 the Orphans Asylum voted to appoint Larter and others as Life Governors "in recognition for valuable services rendered to the asylum.[21]

Larter was also involved in providing evidence in liquor licensing matters as a witness.[22]

Local politics

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Larter successfully ran for the Ballarat East Council in 1889[23][24] a number of times becoming Mayor in 1893/94.[25][5]

In the 1889 municipal elections a letter of pamphlet was circulated imputing Larter's actions. His response was to call a formal public meeting at the White Horse hotel with Mr Searle in the chair. After addressing the meeting on his position he produced his letter-copying hook to the meeting to prove that he had taken active steps, with other gentlemen, to procure the establishment of several factories and work shops in Ballarat East.[26] Larter was elected in 1889.[27]

In 1894 the issues he understood were on the minds of rates payers were:

  • amalgamation of the Ballarat East municipality with the Ballarat municipality;
  • electric lighting in the streets of Ballarat East;
  • the wage question;
  • tolls; and
  • several other matters of importance to the ratepayers.[28]

Latter was very active in the community and a popular councillor and mayor.[5]

Australian Natives' Association

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Larter was a foundation member of the Ballarat East Branch No. 128 of the in 1886. Although it is numbered branch 128, it was the 100th branch as 28 branches had started twice.[29] He was the first Secretary of the branch. Locally and with the support of the ANA branch he inspired organised opposition to the alienation of the park in Russel Square.[30]

In its 21 years the ANA had grown to 10,000 members and had doubled its six over the previous six years.[30] The association continued to express members view on national affairs and was arousing a strong interest in federation of the states and a desire to advance Australia. In 1991 he wrote a letter on behalf of the Branch and ANA board to the municipal council seeking permission to effect improvements at the Eureka Stockade.[31]

Larter was not a dynamic leader. His main contribution to the 1893 conference seems to have been a speech appealing for contributions to a fund for ‘improving and beautifying the site of the Eureka Stockade … the Battlefield of Australian Liberty’[32] But he fully supported the efforts of other board members like George Wise and Alex Peacock to commit the association to a program of national politics, telling a reporter that ‘We claim to be political so far as wise and liberal legislation is concerned ... the ANA is ... a huge political power [with] an influence born of the strength of its members, and its broad and liberal constitution’.[33]

Later years

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Larter moved to Woolloomooloo, New South Wales about the turn of the century as Australian federation was taking place. He died on Friday 4 August 1911.[34]

References

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  1. ^ a b "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 25 August 1894. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  2. ^ United Grand Lodge Freemason Membership Register 1883
  3. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 20 January 1886. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  4. ^ Ballarat Star 12 April 1888 p.4; Ballarat Star, 7 August 1889,p. 4; Victorian Government Gazette 23 January 1893, p.292.
  5. ^ a b c "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 25 August 1894. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  6. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 7 April 1885. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  7. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 10 July 1885. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  8. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 2 December 1891. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  9. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 30 March 1891. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  10. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 2 December 1993. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  11. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 29 September 1892. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  12. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 1 September 1994. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  13. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 4 September 1889. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  14. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 4 September 1890. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  15. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 7 September 1887. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  16. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 19 April 1893. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  17. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 26 July 1893. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  18. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 21 July 1894. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  19. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 17 September 1890. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  20. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 26 January 1886. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  21. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 27 July 1894. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  22. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 10 September 1991. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  23. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 6 August 1889. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  24. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 9 August 1889. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  25. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 16 October 1893. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  26. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE NLA. 7 August 1889. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  27. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 9 August 1893. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  28. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 22 August 1894. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  29. ^ Menadue, J. E. (1971). A Centenary History of the Australian Natives Association 1871 - 1971. Melbourne: Horticultural Press. p. 68.
  30. ^ a b Menadue, J. E. (1971). A centenary History of The Australian Natives' Association 1871 - 1971. Melbourne: Horticultural Press. p. 251.
  31. ^ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE National Library of Australia. 6 November 1891. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  32. ^ Mount Alexander Mail, 10 March 1892, p.2.
  33. ^ Herald, 14 March 1892, p.3
  34. ^ Larter, John (8 August 1911). "The Farmer and Settler". TROVE National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
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