William Silas Pearse


William Silas Pearse was an Australian businessman, pastoralist, and politician who served in both houses of the Parliament of Western Australia. He was a member of the Legislative Council from 1872 to 1880 and again from 1884 to 1890, and then a member of the Legislative Assembly from 1890 to 1895.

Early life

Pearse was born in Fremantle to Susannah and William Silas Pearse Sr., his parents both being early arrivals to the Swan River Colony. After being educated privately, he went into partnership with his brother, opening a butchery and tannery in Fremantle. They later diversified the business into ship-owning and importing. In 1866, Pearse was elected to the Fremantle Town Trust. He was re-elected in 1868, and appointed chairman. When the trust was converted into a town council in 1871, Pearse was elected Fremantle's first mayor, serving in the position until 1872.

Politics

In 1872, Pearse was elected to the Legislative Council as one of two members for the seat of Fremantle, alongside William Marmion. He and his brother mounted an expedition into the Murchison region in 1874, subsequently establishing Meka Station. Pearse resigned from the Legislative Council in 1880 to concentrate on his pastoral interests, and the following year purchased shares in three leases in the Kimberley – Meda Station, Oobagooma Station, and Liveringa Station. He re-entered the Legislative Council in 1884, and remained a member until the advent of responsible government in 1890. At the 1890 general election, the first to be held for the Legislative Assembly, Pearse was elected to the seat of North Fremantle. He was re-elected at the 1894 election, but resigned from parliament in April 1895 in order to take an extended trip to Europe with his family.

Later life

Pearse eventually retired to England, settling in Clifton, Bristol. He died there in December 1908, aged 70. Pearse had married twice, firstly in 1862 to Johannah Hawkes, with whom he had one daughter. He was widowed in 1892, and remarried the following year to Alice Higham, who was the widow of Edward Higham. Pearse's son-in-law, George Hubble, was also a member of parliament.