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6 unusual facts about George Randell


Ernest Randell

The son of George Randell, who was a member of the Legislative Council, and Mary Louise Smith (his father's second wife), Randell was born in Perth, where he was raised.

George Randell

On 26 January 1881, Randell married Lucy James (née Francisco), the widow of Edward James who had died the previous year—Randell thus became the stepfather to Walter James, a future premier under responsible government in 1902–1904.

With the economy benefiting from the gold rush in the Coolgardie-Goldfields region, public attention turned to education.

During this time, he also served as the Western Australian chairman of the Australian Mutual Provident Society, director of the Western Australian Bank and president of the Perth Working Men's Association.

From 28 April 1898 until 27 May 1901, he served as Colonial Secretary and Minister for Education in the Forrest government.

In this he was supported by other abolitionists such as his stepson Walter James, by now a prominent lawyer, and former Fremantle mayor Barrington Wood, and opposed by Catholic MLAs Thomas Molloy, Timothy Quinlan and Alfred Canning.



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