Albert Bruntnell

Bruntnell was born in Breconshire, Wales. His father was a master blacksmith and he was educated to elementary level at National schools. Bruntnell was trained as a tailor but in 1885 he joined the Salvation Army and attended the Salvation Army Training School. Following graduation, his first appointment as a Salvation Army Officer was to accompany Commissioner Howard to Australia in 1888. He remained in Australia and was promoted to captain in Melbourne in 1889. Bruntnell reached the rank of Brigadier by 1897 when he became the colonial commanding officer in Victoria. He later held the same position in Queensland in 1900 and New South Wales in 1903. However, he was forced to resign his position in 1903 after accepting a personal gift from the New South Wales Alliance for the Suppression of Intemperance, which then employed him as its secretary. He maintained a life-time interest in Temperance and was a Freemason. Together with premier Charles Wade he was a key supporter of the Australian Protestant Defence Association. During his parliamentary career he also worked as a Real estate agent and auctioneer.{{Australian Dictionary of Biography |id2=bruntnell-albert-5406 |title=Bruntnell, Albert (1866-1929) |first=J D |last=Bollen |accessdate=26 June 2020 |volume=7 |year=1979}}

In 1906, during a Legislative Assembly debate over a land corruption scandal, John Norton the member for Surry Hills challenged William Holman, the Labor member for Cootamundra and a future premier, to resign his seat so that Norton could contest a by-election directly against him. When the challenge was accepted, Norton was compelled to resign from his own seat precipitating a by-election in Surry Hills, which was held on 14 July 1906. Bruntnell stood as the Liberal and Reform candidate and won with 30% of the vote. Norton finished 4th with 18%.{{cite NSW election |year=1904 |district=SurryHills_1 |title=1906 Surry Hills by-election |accessdate=26 June 2020}}

At the next state election held on 10 September 1907, Bruntnell chose to contest the seat of Alexandria but lost to the Labor Party candidate John Darcy.{{cite NSW election |year=1907 |district=Alexandria |accessdate=26 June 2020}} Bruntnell was absent from parliament until the general election of 1910 when he won the seat of Annandale by 200 votes (1.18%).{{cite NSW election |year=1910 |district=Annandale |accessdate=26 June 2020}} He was, however, defeated at the next election by Arthur Griffith.{{cite NSW election |year=1913 |district=Annandale |accessdate=26 June 2020}} Bruntnell was finally able to secure a safe, conservative voting seat, at the 1916 by-election for the seat of Parramatta.{{cite NSW election |year=1913 |district=Parramatta_1 |title=1916 Parramatta by-election|accessdate=26 June 2020}} This election was caused by the death of Thomas Moxham. Bruntnell continued to represent Parramatta until his death.{{cite NSW Parliament |id=1171 |former=Yes |title=Mr Albert Bruntnell (1866-1929) |accessdate=11 May 2019}}

Bruntnell was the Minister of Public Health for the last two months of the Nationalist government of premier William Holman. He was the Minister of Public Instruction in the Fuller government from 1922 till 1925. In this position he instituted a pledge of loyalty to the flag to counter what he viewed as disloyalty amongst Irish-Australian Catholics. He also re-introduced fees for public high schools.

When Fuller resigned as leader of the Nationalists he narrowly lost the leadership ballot to Bavin. He served as Colonial Secretary in Bavin's government from 1927 till his death.

{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|au-nsw-la}}

{{s-bef|before= John Norton}}

{{s-ttl|title= Member for Surry Hills |years=1906–1907}}

{{s-aft|after= James Graham}}

{{s-bef|before= William Mahony}}

{{s-ttl|title= Member for Annandale |years=1910–1913}}

{{s-aft|after= Arthur Griffith}}

{{s-bef|before= Thomas Moxham}}

{{s-ttl|title= Member for Parramatta |years=1916–1929 |with=none / Jack Lang / none |with2=none / Bill Ely / Thomas Morrow / Bill Ely / none}}

{{s-aft|after= Herbert Lloyd}}

{{s-off}}

{{s-bef|before= David Storey }}

{{s-ttl|title= Minister of Public Health |years=1924}}

{{s-aft|after= Greg McGirr |as=Minister of Public Health and Motherhood}}

{{s-bef|before= Thomas Mutch}}

{{s-ttl|title= Minister of Public Instruction |years=1922{{spaced ndash}}1925}}

{{s-aft|after= Thomas Mutch |as=Minister for Education}}

{{s-bef|before= Mark Gosling}}

{{s-ttl|title= Colonial Secretary |years=1927{{spaced ndash}}1929}}

{{s-aft|after= Thomas Bavin}}

{{s-end}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bruntnell, Albert}}

Category:1866 births

Category:1929 deaths

Category:Nationalist Party of Australia members of the Parliament of New South Wales

Category:Commonwealth Liberal Party politicians

Category:Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly

Category:Australian auctioneers

Category:Ministers for education (New South Wales)