Richard John Seddon

Background

Seddon was born in Eccleston near St Helens, Lancashire, England in 1845. His father Thomas Seddon (born 1817) was a school headmaster, and his mother Jane Lindsay was a teacher.

Education

Despite this background, Seddon did not perform well at school, and was described as unruly. Despite his parents' attempt to give him a classical education, Seddon developed an interest in engineering, but was removed from school at age 12. After working on his grandfather Richard's farm at Barrow Nook Hall for two years, Seddon was an apprentice at Daglish's Foundry in St Helens. He later worked at Vauxhall foundry in Liverpool, where he attained a Board of Trade Certificate as a mechanical engineer.

He received an honorary degree LL. D. from the University of Edinburgh during a visit to the city.

Career

When eighteen he went to Australia and entered the railway workshops at Melbourne. He was caught by the "gold fever" and went to Bendigo, where he spent some time in the diggings; but in 1866 he joined an uncle on the west coast of New Zealand, starting work as a miner. In 1869 he was elected to a seat on his local Road Board, and he was soon returned to the Westland Provincial Council for the Arahura district, becoming its first chairman of committees. In 1879 he was returned to the New Zealand parliament for Kumara, and sat for that constituency for twenty-six years, though its name was changed, to Westland. He was a member of the Ballance ministry (1891), holding the portfolios for public works, defence and mines; and on Ballance's death (1893) became premier, a position he retained till his sudden death on the 10th of June 1906. During these years Seddon held a unique place in the public life of New Zealand, and in its relations with the empire. He combined his premiership with various offices-as colonial treasurer, minister for education, postmaster-general, telegraph commissioner, minister of marine, minister for land purchase, and minister for labour, -but his strenuous personality, and the confidence inspired by his determination to make New Zealand a living force among the British dominions, were the dominating features in all his course of action. His large physique, his profound earnestness, his gift of popular oratory, his expansive kindliness and his power of dealing with men, made him supreme among his own people. He became known in a wider sphere after his attending the colonial conference in London in 1897, and thenceforth he was regarded as one of the pillars of British imperialism. During the Boer War, and afterwards in the movement for preferential trade with the colonies, he was an enthusiastic supporter of Mr Chamberlain, though he was characteristically outspoken in opposition to the introduction of Chinese labour into South Africa. His rough and ready views were frequently open to criticism, but his vigorous patriotism and intensity of character give him a permanent place among those who have worked for the consolidation of the British dominions.

Achievements

• Seddon attended Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and received her Jubilee Medal and an appointment in the Privy Council. In 1902 he attended the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra and received his Coronation Medal. During the same visit, he received the Freedom of the Borough of his home-town St Helens during a visit there in July 1902, and the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh. He was also presented with the Honorary Freedom of the Worshipful Company of Tallow Chandlers on 8 August 1902.
  
  He twice refused a knighthood, wanting to be seen as a man of the people.
  
  A statue of Seddon is located outside Parliament Buildings, and another has a prominent position in the West Coast town of Hokitika. A town in New Zealand and a suburb of Melbourne, Australia are named after him. Wellington Zoo was originally created when a young lion was presented to Prime Minister Richard Seddon by the Bostock and Wombwell Circus. Seddon created the Zoo from this single specimen and the lion was later named King Dick in the Prime Minister's honour. The stuffed body of King Dick (the lion) is displayed on the ground floor of the Museum of Wellington City & Sea. St Mary's Church in Addington, Christchurch also has a memorial bell tower to Richard Seddon.

Works

More photos

• book

  • A Hand Uplifted: A Fragment of Autobiography

    (Shipped from UK, please allow 10 to 21 business days for ...)

Politics

In the sphere of foreign policy, Seddon was a notable supporter of the British Empire. After he attended the Colonial Conference in London in 1897, he became known "as one of the pillars of British imperialism", and he was a strong supporter of the Second Boer War and sponsored preferential tariffs for trade with Britain. He is also noted for his support of New Zealand's own "imperial" designs – Seddon believed that New Zealand should play a major role in the Pacific Islands as a "Britain of the South". Seddon's plans focused mainly on establishing New Zealand dominion over Fiji and Samoa. However, his expansionist policies were discouraged by the Imperial Government. Only the Cook Islands came under New Zealand's control during his term in office.

Membership

In 1868, Seddon became a Freemason, being initiated into the Pacific Lodge in Hokitika.

He was a member of Independent Party from 1879 untill 1891, leader of the Liberal Party

from 1893 untill 1906, member of Parliament for Hokitika from 1879 untill 1881, member of Parliament for Kumara from 1881 untill 1890, member of Parliament for Westland from 1890 untill 1906.

Personality

Seddon was a strong premier, and enforced his authority with great vigour.

Connections

In either 1865 or 1866, he became engaged to Louisa Jane Spotswood, but her family would not permit marriage until Seddon was more financially secure.

In 1866, Seddon moved to New Zealand's West Coast. Initially, he worked the goldfields in Waimea. He is believed to have prospered here, and he returned briefly to Melbourne to marry Louisa.

They had 9 children.

Daughter:

Elizabeth Gilmer

She was a New Zealand social worker, educationist and horticulturist. She chaired the Lady Galway Patriotic Guild.

Son:

Tom Seddon

He was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party, and a lawyer in Greymouth.

References

• Richard Seddon: King of God's Own