Alfred Shrapnell Bailes

Alfred Shrapnell Bailes (23 July 1849 – 15 January 1928) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1886 to 1894 and from 1897 to 1907. He also served as mayor of Bendigo from 1883 to 1884.

Early life Bailes was born on 23 July 1849 in Baltonsborough, Somerset, England. He arrived in Melbourne in 1852, where his father Henry worked on the construction of Parliament House as a wood-carver.

Bailes began his education at a tent school on the Government House reserve. He later attended a Presbyterian school on Punt Road before completing his education in Bendigo, where his family moved in 1860. He was the chairman of the Sandhurst Board of Advice, the local school board. Bailes transferred to the new parliamentary seat of Bendigo East at the 1904 election, serving until his defeat in 1907 by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) candidate.

Personal life Bailes married Millinda Sperring Stephenson on 1 October 1870, with whom he had four sons and two daughters. He was predeceased by one of his daughters and was widowed in 1902. His sons Barclay and Ernie Bailes both played high-level Australian rules football.

Bailes died on 15 January 1928 in Hampton, Victoria. At the time of his death, he was married to Catherine Violet and was father to ten children.