Edward Miles

Who was Edward Miles?

Edward Thomas Miles was born in Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land and during his lifetime served as a merchant seaman, a Free Trade Party Member of the Tasmanian Parliament and Minister and as an entrepreneur. Miles is the grandfather of John Miles, Liberal Party of Australia Member of the Legislative Council of Victoria for Templestowe Province from 1985-92.

Miles worked on ships trading with India, China and South Africa, and after 1879 commanded a series of ships trading the Tasmanian East Coast. He was elected to the Tasmanian lower house of Parliament, the House of Assembly, in December 1893 for the Electoral district of Glamorgan and held that electorate until 1899. In 1900 he successfully contested the Electoral district of Hobart, but resigned after a matter of weeks to pursue business interests. Miles served briefly as Minister for Lands and Works in the Braddon government between May and October in 1899.

After Parliament Miles engaged in a number of business activities, perhaps the most significant of which was the establishment of tin mining in Siam. A monument to Miles was unveiled at Phuket, Thailand, in 1969.