The Hon
Frank McDonnell
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Fortitude Valley
In office
21 March 1896 – 18 May 1907
Preceded byJohn Watson
Succeeded byJohn McMaster
Member of the Queensland Legislative Council
In office
3 July 1907 – 23 March 1922
Personal details
Born
Francis McDonnell

(1863-01-24)24 January 1863
Ennis, County Clare, Ireland
Died26 November 1928(1928-11-26) (aged 65)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Resting placeToowong Cemetery
NationalityIrish Australian
Political partyLabour
SpouseMary Heffernan (m.1890 d.1952)
OccupationDraper, Newspaper proprietor

Francis McDonnell (24 January 1863 – 26 November 1928) was a draper, and member of both the Queensland Legislative Council and the Queensland Legislative Assembly.[1]

Early years

McDonnell was born at Ennis, County Clare, Ireland, in 1863 to James McDonnell, a farmer, and his wife Elizabeth (née Bradish)[2] and attended Ennis Christian Brothers School. At aged thirteen, he worked in a factory before returning to school and then in 1879 he was working for Gallagher Bros as an apprentice draper.[2] By coincidence, a fellow employee was T.C. Beirne, who also went on to make a name for himself as a draper in Brisbane.[2]

Working career

Accompanied by his only sister, McDonnell arrived in Brisbane in 1886 and began work as a drapery assistant with Finney, Isles & Co., T. J. Geoghegan, and, from 1889 till 1896, Edwards & Lamb. In 1901, in partnership with Hubert East and with the financial backing of Peter Murphy, they established McDonnell & East, Drapers.[2]

Political life

In 1888, McDonnell helped organise the Shop Assistants' Early Closing Association and its associated publication, the Early Closing Advocate with articles by William Lane.[2] As a Labour candidate, he contested the seat of Fortitude Valley at the 1893 colonial election, losing to the Ministerialists, John Watson and John McMaster.[3]

McDonnell stood again for the seat of Fortitude Valley at the 1896 election, this time polling enough votes to finish second to John McMaster in the two-member electorate, and therefore winning a seat. He remained a member of the Legislative Assembly for the next eleven years, declining to stand[2] at the 1907 election.[4]

Within three months of his retirement from the Assembly in 1907, McDonnell was appointed by the Kidston ministry to the Queensland Legislative Council.[2] He remained a member until 1922 when the Council was abolished.[2]

Personal life

McDonnell married Mary Heffernan in 1890 and together they had seven children. He died in 1928, and his funeral was held at St Stephen's Cathedral and proceeded to the Toowong Cemetery[5] for his burial.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 McDonnell, Francis (Frank) (1863–1928) – Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  3. ↑ "GENERAL ELECTION". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 8 May 1893. p. 5. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  4. ↑ "GENERAL ELECTION". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 23 March 1896. p. 5. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  5. ↑ McDonnell Frank Archived 2 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine – Brisbane City Council Grave Location Search. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  6. ↑ "Family Notices". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 27 November 1928. p. 14. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
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