Fremantle History Centre - Mayoral Box - Elias Solomon

DESCRIPTION

Accession NumberP186Title (extended title only)Fremantle History Centre - Mayoral Box - Elias SolomonDescriptionLargish wooden box with gold plate strips. The Fremantle Municipality seal is missing
DateBetween 1st January 1889 and 31st December 1901ProvenanceElias Solomon was born in London, England on 2 September 1839 and came to South Australia with his Jewish family as an infant in 1840 moving shortly afterwards to New South Wales. His father died in 1849 and the family returned to Adelaide where Elias worked for his auctioneer uncle and became chief clerk of the firm. In 1868 he moved to Western Australia and established a business as an auctioneer and general merchant in association with two of his nephews. After the business dissolved he became a business partner with Lionel Samson and then with L A Manning.
Dating from 1877 he served a six year term on the Fremantle Town Council and was subsequently Mayor of Fremantle on three occasions between 1889 and 1901.
In 1892 by a margin of only 7 votes he was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly at a by election for South Fremantle and was subsequently returned unopposed in 1894 and 1897 being effectively an Independent during those years.
In March 1901 Solomon contested the first federal election for Fremantle as one of three Free Trade candidates in a four cornered contest. He became one of four Jewish members of the first Commonwealth Parliament when he secured a comfortable absolute majority of the votes cast with a plurality of more than 1000 over his Labor opponent.
Twice married and widowed with a total of eleven children he died in Beaconsfield on 23 May 1909 and was buried in Fremantle Cemetery.
Elias Solomon - Member for Fremantle 1901-1903 (curtin.edu.au)Relevance to the CityElias Solomon was a town Councillor from 1877 and Mayor of Fremantle between 1889 and 1901

SubjectSocial historyCity of Fremantle - MayorsCollectionCivic Collection

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LocationCivic Collection

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Fremantle History Centre - Mayoral Box - Elias Solomon