Edmund Lonsdale

Who was Edmund Lonsdale?

Edmund Lonsdale was an Australian politician. Born in Morpeth, New South Wales, he was schooled in Maitland before becoming a bricklayer, builder and contractor. He was also an alderman on Armidale Shire Council. In 1891 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the member for New England, serving until 1894; he was elected to Armidale in 1895, serving until 1898. In 1901 he was the unsuccessful Free Trade Party candidate for the federal seat of New England, after which he returned to the Legislative Assembly, again as the member for Armidale. In 1903 he was again the candidate for the federal New England seat, and was successful. He held the seat until his defeat in 1906, after which he returned to state politics, being re-elected to Armidale in 1907. He continued in that position until his death in 1913.