Duncan Watson (politician)

Duncan John Reay Watson (4 November 1867 – 30 October 1948) was a solicitor and member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.[1]

Duncan Watson
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Cunningham
In office 29 October 1903 – 27 August 1904
Preceded by	Francis Kates
Succeeded by	Francis Grayson
Personal details
Born	Duncan John Reay Watson 4 November 1867 Timaru, New Zealand
Died	30 October 1948 (aged 80) Indooroopilly, Queensland, Australia
Resting place	Toowong Cemetery
Nationality	New Zealander Australian
Political party	Opposition
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Margaret Crowe (m.1905 d.1945)
Occupation	Solicitor

Biography

Watson was born at Timaru, New Zealand, to parents John Dalton Watson and his wife Mary Annie (née Mackay) and educated in Queensland at Maryborough State School and Maryborough Grammar School. He commenced work as an apprentice builder with his father and then became a teacher at Maryborough Central State School. He next worked for the Bank of NSW in northern and central Queensland.[1]

He was admitted to the Queensland Bar as a solicitor in 1895 and operated his own successful legal practice until his retirement in 1938.[1]

In 1905 Watson married Elizabeth Margaret Crowe in Sydney and together had one daughter.[1] He died at Indooroopilly in Brisbane in 1948.[1] His funeral proceeded from the Holy Family Catholic Church, Indooroopilly,[2] to the Toowong Cemetery.[3]

Political career

After the death of serving member, Francis Kates, in 1903,[1] Watson won the resulting by-election for the seat of Cunningham in the Queensland Legislative Assembly.[4] He held the seat for less than a year, being beaten at the 1904 state election by the Ministerial candidate, Francis Grayson.[5]

He stood at the 1920 state election as an independent Country Party candidate for the seat of Stanley but was well beaten by both other candidates.[6] He later joined the Australian Labor Party, and unsuccessfully contested the federal seat of Maranoa at the 1934 federal election.[7]

References

1. "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
2. Funeral Notcies — The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
3. Deceased Search — Brisbane City Council Grave Location Search. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
4. Member For Cunningham — The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
5. Cunningham (1) — The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
6. Stanley — The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
7. "Maranoa Electorate". Warwick Daily News. 15 June 1934.