Alfred Kennerley

Alfred Kennerley
10th Premier of Tasmania
In office 4 August 1873 – 20 July 1876
Preceded by	Frederick Innes
Succeeded by	Thomas Reibey
Personal details
Born	1810 Islington, London, England, UK
Died	15 November 1897 (aged 88) Hobart, Tasmania
Nationality	British
Spouse(s)	Jane Rouse

Alfred Kennerley (1810 – 15 November 1897) was an Australian politician and Premier of Tasmania from 4 August 1873 until 20 July 1876.

Kennerley was born in Islington. He was a man of means who came from England to Australia when young and settled in New South Wales. On 18 February 1834 at Windsor he married Jane, daughter of Richard Rouse of Rouse Hill House. When his father died Kennerley leased his land and sold his livestock, planning to return to England. He sailed with his wife for London in March 1842 and returned to Sydney in January 1845. He resumed farming at Bringelly, became a magistrate and, in trust for his wife, acquired from Rouse more property in Parramatta. Kennerley was not robust and found the climate very trying. In 1853 he returned to England with his wife.

In June 1857 the Kennerleys arrived at Hobart in the Gloucester and named their new home Rouseville. He became an alderman about 1860, and was mayor in 1862, 1863, 1871 and 1872. He was elected to Parliament and on 4 August 1873 became premier without office. His ministry initiated a policy of public works, but though there was really little difference between the parties, there was a good deal of political strife, and it was difficult to get anything constructive done. Kennerley became discouraged and resigned on 20 July 1876. This was the only time he was in office, but he was well known for the remainder of his long life as a staunch supporter of the Church of England, and as one of the most philanthropic and high-principled citizens of Hobart. He died in his eighty-eighth year on 15 November 1897. His wife died many years before him and he had no children.

References

• Serle, Percival (1949). "Kennerley, Alfred". Dictionary of Australian Biography. Sydney: Angus and Robertson. 
• Parliamentary Library profile

Premiers of Tasmania
William Champ Thomas Gregson William Weston Francis Smith Thomas Chapman James Whyte Richard Dry James Milne Wilson Frederick Innes Alfred Kennerley Thomas Reibey Philip Fysh William Giblin William Crowther Adye Douglas James Agnew Henry Dobson Edward Braddon Elliott Lewis William Propsting John Evans John Earle Albert Solomon Walter Lee John Hayes Joseph Lyons John McPhee Albert Ogilvie Edmund Dwyer-Gray Robert Cosgrove Edward Brooker Eric Reece Angus Bethune Bill Neilson Doug Lowe Harry Holgate Robin Gray Michael Field Ray Groom Tony Rundle Jim Bacon Paul Lennon David Bartlett Lara Giddings Will Hodgman