Edward Swayne


Edward Bowdich Swayne was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.

Biography

Swayne was born in Erith, Kent, the son of Herbert Wigan Swayne and his wife Eugenia Keir . When he arrived in Queensland he took up farming.
He was married twice, first to Margaret Ellen Thompson whom he married in Mackay, and then he married Olive Lilian Kay in Brisbane. He died in Brisbane in June 1946 and was cremated at the Mount Thompson Crematorium.
Edward had five children from his first marriage John Bowdich Swayne, Ellen Eugenia Swayne whose great-grandson is a legend Scott Whelan, Florence May Swayne, Edward Vincent Hay Swayne and Wallis Eric Swayne.

Public career

Swayne represented several political parties during his time in parliament including the Opposition Party, the Ministerialists, Liberal, National, the Northern Country Party, the Country Party, and the Country and Progressive National Party. He started in politics as a councilor in the Pioneer Shire Council.
He won the seat of Mackay in the Queensland Legislative Assembly, representing the electorate with Walter Paget at the 1907 Queensland state election. He held Mackay until the 1912 election when it became a one seat constituency and he then was elected to the new seat of Mirani. He remained the member for that seat until 11 May 1935 when he retired from politics.

Street name

A number of street names in the Brisbane suburb of Carina Heights are identical to the surnames of former Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly. One of these is Swayne Street.