CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /> <meta http-equiv="imagetoolbar" content="no" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"/> <script type="application/ld+json"> {"@context":"https://schema.org/","@type":"Article","about":{"@type":"Person","givenName":"Hubert","additionalName":"Charles","familyName":"Trethowan","name":"Hubert Charles Trethowan","birthDate":"1868-04-04","birthPlace":{"@type":"Place","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","addressLocality":"Plymstock","addressRegion":"Devon","addressCountry":"England"}},"deathDate":"1934-10-30","deathPlace":{"@type":"Place","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","addressLocality":"Subiaco, Perth","addressRegion":"Western Australia","addressCountry":"Australia"}}},"author":{"@type":"Person","givenName":"Doug","familyName":"Morrissey","name":"Doug Morrissey"},"datePublished":"1990-01-01","description":"Sir Arthur King Trethowan (1863-1937), grazier and politician, was born on 14 September 1863 at Spring Hill, Victoria, second son of Samuel Trethowan, a Cornish-born auctioneer, and his wife Charlotte Dyer, née King, from the Isle of Wight.","headline":"Trethowan, Hubert Charles (1868–1934)","keywords":"Hubert Charles Trethowan, biography","isPartOf":{"@type":"Book","bookEdition":12,"bookFormat":"https://schema.org/Hardcover","datePublished":1990,"description":"The Australian Dictionary of Biography contains concise, informative and fascinating descriptions of the lives of significant and representative persons in Australian history.","image":"https://adb.anu.edu.au/images/covers/volume12.png","isbn":522844375,"name":"Australian Dictionary of Biography","url":"https://adb.anu.edu.au","copyrightHolder":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Australian National University","url":"https://www.anu.edu.au"},"copyrightYear":1990,"editor":{"@type":"Person","givenName":"John","familyName":"Ritchie","name":"John Ritchie"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Melbourne University Press","url":"https://www.mup.com.au"}}} </script> <title>Biography - Hubert Charles Trethowan - Australian Dictionary of Biography</title> <script async src="https://ssl.google-analytics.com/ga.js"></script> <script> var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-21252809-2']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); </script> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-RC1X4D063Z"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-RC1X4D063Z'); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/css/multi.php;reset.css,fixes.css,site/adb/generic.css,structure-common.css,site/adb/structure-site.css,infinite.css,shadowbox.css;208393d011387c3a59dadfeafd900bc7"/> <script type="text/javascript"> var settings = {"site_code":"adb","sites":{"adb":"adb.anu.edu.au","ia":"ia.anu.edu.au","la":"labouraustralia.anu.edu.au","oa":"oa.anu.edu.au","pa":"peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au","pib":"pib.anu.edu.au","wa":"womenaustralia.anu.edu.au"}}; </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/js/multi.php;jquery.min.js,jqueryui/jquery-ui.custom.min.js,clearFocus.js,searchBox.js,facets.js,common-utils.js,advanced-search.js,shadowbox/shadowbox.js;ab3d74aadfe94baccb25019eb300b75e"></script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/site/adb/print.css" type="text/css" media="print"/> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/site/adb/favicon.ico"/> <style> .navi:hover { border-bottom: 0px; } </style> </head> <body class="site_adb"><script type="text/javascript">document.body.className += " js";</script> <header> <div id="masthead"> <div class="clearFix" id="topNav"> <ul> <li><a href="https://oa.anu.edu.au">Obituaries Australia</a></li> <li><a href="https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au">People Australia</a></li> <li><a href="https://ia.anu.edu.au">Indigenous Australia</a></li> <li><a href="https://womenaustralia.anu.edu.au">Women Australia</a></li> <li><a href="https://labouraustralia.anu.edu.au">Labour Australia</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="tileAndSearchContainer"> <div class="clearFix" id="titleAndSearchPage"> <h1 class="hideFromScreen">Australian Dictionary of Biography</h1> <ul id="searchSubmitPage"> <li> <form action="/biographies/search/" method="get" id="mastheadSearchForm"> <select id="scopeSelect" name="scope" onChange="searchBox.setTip();"> <option value="person">person</option> <option value="all" selected="selected">text</option> </select> <input name="query" type="text" class="searchTextInput clearMeFocus" title="Quick search" value="" /> <input name="" type="image" class="searchBttns" src="/images/site/adb/bttn_search.png" alt="Search" /> <input name="rs" type="hidden" value=''/> </form> </li> <li id="personTip" class="searchTip"> <span><strong>Tip:</strong> searches only the name field</span> </li> <li id="allTip" class="searchTip"> <span><strong>Tip:</strong> Use double quotes to search for a phrase</span></li> </ul>  </div> <nav class="main-navigation"> <ul class="navigation-menu"> <li class="menu-item menu-item--admin"> <a class="menu-link" href="/">Home</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--admin"> <a class="menu-link" href="/about-us/">About</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--admin"> <a class="menu-link" href="/contact-us/">Contact</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--content"> <a class="menu-link" href="/projects/">Projects</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--content"> <a class="menu-link" href="/essays/browse/">Group Bios</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--search"> <a class="menu-link" href="/advanced-search/">Advanced Search</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--search"> <a class="menu-link" href="/facets/">Faceted Browse</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--search" id="browseTab"> <a class="menu-link" href="#browsePanel">Browse</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--donate"> <a class="menu-link" href="/adb-endowment-fund/">Donate</a> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="panel js-hide" id="browsePanel"> <div class="panelInner clearFix"> <div class="column0203 noh3float"> <div class="browseLabelWrapper"> <h3 class="browseLabel">Browse by:</h3> </div> <div class="browseOptionWrapper"> <ul class="panelInnerNav clearFix"> <li><a href="/biographies/name/">Name</a></li> <li><a href="/biographies/birth/">Date of Birth</a></li> <li><a href="/biographies/death/">Date of Death</a></li> <li><a href="/biographies/browse-author/">Author</a></li> <li><a href="/entities/browse/?otype=map">Maps</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="culturalWarning" data-nosnippet="true"> <h2 class="culturalWarning__heading"><span class="culturalWarning__heading--decoration">Cultural Advice</span></h2> <div class="culturalWarning__message"> <p>Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website contains names, images, and voices of deceased persons.</p> <p>In addition, some articles contain terms or views that were acceptable within mainstream Australian culture in the period in which they were written, but may no longer be considered appropriate.</p> <p>These articles do not necessarily reflect the views of The Australian National University.</p> <p>Older articles are being reviewed with a view to bringing them into line with contemporary values but the original text will remain available for historical context.</p> </div> <div class="culturalWarning__control"> <button id="culturalWarningHide" class="culturalWarning__button">Hide message</button> </div> </div> </header> <div id="pageContentContainer"> <div class="clearFix" id="pageContent"> <div id="pageColumnMain"> <h2>Hubert Charles Trethowan (1868–1934)</h2> <p class="authorName">by <a href="/biographies/author/?author=2662">Doug Morrissey</a></p> <div class="publish-notice publish-notice--major-project" style="background-color:#dee9f2;color:#153449;"> <p>This article was published:</p> <ul> <li> in the <a href="https://adb.anu.edu.au/biographies/project/?name=australian-dictionary-biography-volume-12" style="color:#905d27;"> <span class="publish-notice__project-name">Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 12</span> </a> , 1990 </li> <li>online in 2006</li> </ul> </div> <p class="adbMinorNotice"><strong>Hubert Charles Trethowan is a minor entry in this article</strong></p> <div class="biographyContent textContent" id="15531">  <p> Sir Arthur King Trethowan (1863-1937), grazier and politician, was born on 14 September 1863 at Spring Hill, Victoria, second son of Samuel Trethowan, a Cornish-born auctioneer, and his wife Charlotte Dyer, née King, from the Isle of Wight. Baptized an Anglican, he was educated at Creswick Grammar School. At 14 he took his first job, driving a bullock team; he soon joined his father as an auctioneer at Numurkah. During his youth Arthur was recognized as a crack shot and a good cricketer. On 9 November 1886 at Nathalia he married a blacksmith's daughter, Jane Alice Manifold, with Wesleyan forms.</p> <p> Engaged in wheat and sheep farming in the Goulburn Valley from the 1880s, Trethowan selected land at Berrigan, New South Wales, in 1898 and later bought Clear Hills station, Oaklands, and several grazing properties in the Upper Hunter and Dubbo districts. His reputation as a scientific wheat farmer and fine-wool producer was recognized throughout the Riverina. He was secretary of the local branch of the Farmers and Settlers' Association of New South Wales and a founder of the railway league. A member of Urana Shire Council (1907-15), he was president in 1908, 1912 and 1915; a foundation member (1908) of the Shires Association of New South Wales, he served as vice-president (1910-12) and president (1915). He was also president of the Farmers and Settlers' Association of New South Wales in 1916-20 (and treasurer in 1930-37).</p> <p> Trethowan had been defeated as a Farmers and Settlers' candidate for the Legislative Assembly seats of Deniliquin (1910) and Burrangong (1913). He was endorsed in the anti-Labor Senate team in 1914, but not elected. Nominated to the Legislative Council in December 1916, he was elected for six years to the reconstituted council in December 1933.</p> <p> During the strikes of 1917 Trethowan commanded the country loyalists' camp at the Sydney Cricket Ground. That year he founded and was managing director (until 1937) of the Farmers & Graziers' Co-operative Grain, Insurance & Agency Co. Ltd, set up to assist farmers in the transport and sale of produce. Governing director and chairman of the Land Newspaper Ltd, he was a director of the Producers & Citizens Co-operative Assurance Co. of Australia Ltd and Amalgamated Textiles (Australia) Ltd. A colleague recalled his 'alertness and firm decision when great problems came before the board'. In 1930, with <a href="braddon-sir-henry-yule-143" title="Braddon, Sir Henry Yule (1863 - 1955)">Sir Henry Braddon</a> and <a href="heath-albert-edward-6624" title="Heath, Albert Edward (1887 - 1955)">Albert Heath</a>, he served on the Council for the Prevention and Relief of Unemployment.</p> <p> In parliament Trethowan 'illuminated debates by relating his experiences' and liked reminding his colleagues of his humble beginnings as a selector. A founder of the Country Party, he served as chairman of the State central council in 1919-21 and 1925-37. He strongly opposed <a href="lang-john-thomas-jack-7027" title="Lang, John Thomas (1876 - 1975)">Jack Lang</a>'s attempt in 1930 to abolish the Legislative Council without a referendum; with <a href="maughan-david-7530" title="Maughan, Sir David (1873 - 1955)">(Sir) David Maughan</a> as counsel, Trethowan, <a href="playfair-thomas-alfred-john-jack-8063" title="Playfair, Thomas Alfred John (1890 - 1966)">Thomas Playfair</a> and others successfully defended the council in appeals to the High Court of Australia and Privy Council.</p> <p> Trethowan was a 'big man, physically and mentally, and his determined face was a mirror of his strong character'. Warm-hearted and kindly, with a 'rugged simplicity of character', he was a devoted family man and always tried to get home for weekends. He was knighted in 1936. Sir Arthur died at Dubbo on 26 November 1937 and was buried in the local cemetery with Anglican rites. His wife, eight sons and two daughters survived him. His estate was valued for probate at £17,629.</p> <p> His younger brother Hubert Charles (1868-1934) was born on 4 April 1868 at Plymstock, Devonshire, England. Brought to Victoria, he was educated at Creswick Grammar School and in 1889 entered the Bank of Australasia in Melbourne. After he was transferred to Perth in 1896, he joined the harbours and rivers branch of the Department of Public Works as a clerk. In 1898 he became involved with the goldfields water-supply and served from 1903 as the division's accountant. He had married Eliza Josephine Graham at the registrar's office, Subiaco, on 29 March 1900. Qualifying as an associate of the Institute of Accountants and Auditors of Western Australia, in 1909 he became secretary of the Goldfields Water Supply Administration.</p> <p> He was under secretary for water-supply, sewerage and drainage (1912-18), for agriculture (1918-20), and for the Chief Secretary's Department and comptroller-general for prisons (1920-31). Survived by a son and daughter, he died on 30 October 1934 at Subiaco and was buried in the Anglican section of Karrakatta cemetery.</p> </div> <div class="infoList"> <h3>Select Bibliography</h3> <ul> <li>E. G. Knox (ed), <i>The Advertisers' and Publishers' Guide to Australia and New Zealand</i> (Syd, 1935)</li><li><i>Parliamentary Debates</i> (New South Wales), 1937, p 2044</li><li><i>Sydney Morning Herald</i>, 5 June 1914, 27 Nov 1937.</li> </ul> </div> <div class="citation"> <h3>Citation details</h3> <p>Doug Morrissey, 'Trethowan, Hubert Charles (1868–1934)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/trethowan-hubert-charles-9257/text15531, published first in hardcopy 1990, accessed online 23 February 2025.</p> <p id="origPubDetails"><strong>This article was published in hardcopy in <em><strong>Australian Dictionary of Biography</strong></em>, Volume 12, (Melbourne University Press), 1990</strong></p> <p style="margin-top: 20px;">View the <a href="/frontpages/fp12.pdf" target="_blank">front pages</a> for Volume 12</p> </div> <div id="printFooter"> <p class="floatLeft">© Copyright Australian Dictionary of Biography, 2006-2025</p> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> $(function() { Shadowbox.init({ counterType: 'skip', continuous: true, overlayOpacity: 0.80 }); }); </script> <div id="pageSidebar"> <div class="lifeSummary"> <h3>Life Summary <span><a href ="/lifesummary/trethowan-hubert-charles-9257" target="_blank">[details]</a></span></h3> <h5>Birth</h5> <p> <a href="/biographies/birth/?bdate=04041868">4 April</a>, <a href="/biographies/birth/?bdate=1868">1868</a> <br /> <a href="/biographies/search/?query=birthLocation%3A%22Plymstock%2C%20Devon%2C%20England%22">Plymstock</a>, <a href="/biographies/search/?query=birthLocation%3A%22Devon%2C%20England%22">Devon</a>, <a href="/biographies/search/?query=birthLocation%3A%22England%22">England</a> </p> <h5>Death</h5> <p> <a href="/biographies/death/?ddate=30101934">30 October</a>, <a href="/biographies/death/?ddate=1934">1934</a> (aged 66) <br /> <a href="/biographies/search/?query=deathLocation%3A%22Subiaco%2C%20Perth%2C%20Western%20Australia%2C%20Australia%22">Subiaco, Perth</a>, <a href="/biographies/search/?query=deathLocation%3A%22Western%20Australia%2C%20Australia%22">Western Australia</a>, <a href="/biographies/search/?query=deathLocation%3A%22Australia%22">Australia</a> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <footer> <div class="clearFix" id="footer"> <h3>Australian Dictionary of Biography</h3> <p>An initiative of the <a href="https://history.cass.anu.edu.au/centres/ncb">National Centre of Biography</a> at the <a href="https://www.anu.edu.au/">Australian National University</a></p> <div class="clearFix"> <p class="floatLeft">© Copyright Australian Dictionary of Biography, 2006-2025</p> <p class="floatLeft cdp"><a href="/copyright/">Copyright</a> · <a href="/disclaimer/">Disclaimer</a> · <a href="/privacy/">Privacy Policy</a> · <a href="/contact-us/">Contact Us</a></p> </div> </div> </footer> </body> </html>