FINCH-HATTON, Harold Heneage (1856-1904)

Imperial federationist

fourth son of the tenth Earl of Winchelsea, was born on 23 August 1856. He was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford, and at 19 years of age went to Queensland. He took up land in the Mackay district and later worked on the Nebo goldfields. Returning to England in 1883 he published in 1885 an account of his travels Advance Australia! (2nd ed. 1886). It is written in an entertaining way, but his statements about the aborigines and his views on Australian politicians must be accepted with caution. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the house of commons in 1885, 1886 and 1892, but was returned as a conservative for Newark in 1895. He resigned in 1898 on account of disagreement with the policy of his party. He was one of the founders of the Imperial Federation League, and when the North Queensland Separation League was formed he was appointed chairman of the London committee. He also worked for the development of the Pacific route to Australia, and was secretary to the Pacific Telegraph Company for the formation of a line from Vancouver Island to Australia. He died suddenly at London on 16 May 1904. He was unmarried.

The Times, 18 May 1904; P. Mennell, The Dictionary of Australasian Biography; Burke's Peerage, etc., 1900.