William Fleming

Who was William Fleming?

William Montgomerie Fleming was an Australian politician, who served in the Australian House of Representatives and the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.

Born in Avon Plains, Victoria to Scottish migrant and station manager John Fleming and his wife Helen, Fleming moved with his family to a farm near Walgett, New South Wales in 1882. Educated on the farm, private schools and at the University of Sydney, Fleming worked on the family farm while also employed as a journalist for various local newspapers. A Presbyterian, Fleming married Caroline Benn in 1900; together they had one daughter and two sons.

Elected as an independent member for the electoral district of Robertson as a 27 year old in 1901, Fleming transferred to the seat of Upper Hunter upon the abolishing of Robertson in 1904.

Fleming moved to Federal parliament in 1913 as the member for the Division of Robertson, initially as a representative of the Commonwealth Liberal Party, then the Nationalist Party and later the Country Party.

While a member of Federal parliament, Fleming joined the Australian Infantry Forces on 6 October 1916 and served as a Driver in the Army Service Corps until his discharge in England on 27 December 1918. He returned to parliament and served until his retirement from politics in 1922. Fleming became an orchardist in Terrigal, New South Wales, where he died in 1961.