The Honourable Thomas Givens |
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Senator for Queensland | |
In office 1 January 1904 – 19 June 1928 |
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Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Cairns |
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In office 11 March 1899 – 11 March 1902 |
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Preceded by | Isidor Lissner |
Succeeded by | James Lyons |
Personal details | |
Born |
Henry Thomas Givens 26 February 1864 Tipperary, Ireland |
Died | 19 June 1928 Canterbury, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
(aged 64)
Resting place | Box Hill Cemetery |
Nationality | Irish Australian |
Political party | Australian Labor Party |
Other political affiliations |
Nationalist Party |
Spouse(s) | Katie Allen (m.1901 d.1945) |
Occupation | Miner, Newspaper owner |
Henry Thomas Givens (26 February 1864 – 19 June 1928) was an Irish-born Australian politician. Born in County Tipperary, he received a primary education before migrating to Australia in 1882. He became a bush worker and miner in Queensland, and was secretary of the Queensland Miners' Union, as well as proprietor of the Cairns Daily Times. In 1899, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland as the Labor member for Cairns, a position he held until 1902. In 1903, he was elected to the Australian Senate as a Queensland Labor Senator.
On 9 July 1913, he was elected President of the Senate, succeeding his Labor colleague Harry Turley. He left the Labor Party in the wake of the 1916 split over conscription and joined the new Nationalist Party, keeping his position as President of the Senate. On 30 June 1926, he was succeeded as President by John Newlands. His 13 years as President make him the second longest serving President after Alister McMullin.
Givens died in 1928 while still a Senator; the Queensland Parliament appointed Labor member John MacDonald as his replacement. He was accorded a State funeral and buried in Box Hill Cemetery.