Joseph Vardon


Joseph Vardon was an Australian politician. Born in Adelaide, he received a primary education before becoming a farm worker and apprentice printer, running his own printing business by 1871. He sat on Hindmarsh, Unley, and Adelaide City councils, and was President of the South Australian Liberal Union. He was elected to the Australian Senate as an Anti-Socialist Senator for South Australia in the 1906 Election, but his election was declared void on 31 May 1907. The South Australian Labor Government attempted to install James O'Loghlin in the vacancy. Vardon's initial attempts to obtain a fresh election were unsuccessful. Vardon subsequently succeeded with the High Court declaring O'Loghlin's appointment was void and ordering a supplementary election. Vardon and O'Loghlin both contested the election, with Vardon winning comfortably with 54% of the vote. He was defeated in the 1913 Election, by now a member of the Commonwealth Liberal Party.
His son, Edward Vardon, was an MP for Sturt 1918–1921, 1924–1930 and South Australian Nationalist Senator 1921–1923.
His daughter, Hilda Marian Vardon married Horace Abercrombie Fairweather, brother of Andrew Fairweather, on 12 April 1911.