Elliot Johnson

Who was Elliot Johnson?

Sir William Elliot Johnson KCMG was an Australian politician and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Johnson was born at Newcastle upon Tyne, England, the son of a scene-painter. He ran away from home at 13, worked in the telegraph office at London, and afterwards assisted his father scene-painting at Covent Garden theatre. He was then apprenticed on a sailing-ship and after obtaining his second mate's certificate, settled in Sydney in 1883. He took much interest in the free-trade movement and was also a follower of Henry George.

In December 1903 he was elected a member of the federal House of Representatives for Lang. He was from 1910 to 1913 whip and secretary to the Liberal party and was a member of the panel of Deputy Chairmen of Committees. He took much interest in the selection of the site for the federal capital, and nominated the Yass-Canberra site which was eventually chosen. In 1911 he was one of the Australian parliamentary representatives at the coronation of King George V.

He was elected Speaker of the House in 1913 and held this position until after the 1914 election.