Hugh Langwell

Hugh Langwell (1860 – 15 May 1933) was an Irish-born politician, trade unionist and public servant in New South Wales, Australia. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council, Amalgamated Shearers Union, Western Lands Board and Lord Howe Island Board of Control.

Early life Langwell was born in Belfast to farmer Hugh Langwell and Matilda McCully. While he was very young the family moved to Victoria and he was educated at Warrnambool. He moved to New South Wales in 1880, becoming a stationworker and shearer. Around 1892 he married Sarah Jane Brooks, with whom he had eight children. He settled in Bourke, where he owned a small newsagency, tobacconist and barber shop.

Legislative Assembly In 1891 he was the chairman and executive officer of the Bourke branch of the Amalgamated Shearers Union, and was unanimously endorsed as a candidate for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Bourke by the Bourke Labor Electoral League, where was the first of 3 members elected. He was not however endorsed by the new Parliamentary Labour Party, as the Bourke Labor Electoral League had modified the official Labour platform and he did not join the Labour caucus, sitting as an Labour member. later stating that he had done so because he had been elected after campaigning in opposition to the government. Otherwise he generally voted with the Labour party. while the Brisbane Worker listed him as a modified pledge Labor candidate. The Sydney Morning Herald did not include him in its list of endorsed Labor candidates, and Antony Green lists him as an Independent Labour candidate. He was defeated at the election in 1894, In 1912 he was appointed to inquire into the palm seed industry of Lord Howe Island. The Government, not being prepared to accept his report sent Walter Bevan to further investigate the position on the island, only to get what were essentially the same recommendations. Subsequently, he was appointed a member of the Lord Howe Island Board of Control which was responsible for administering the affairs of the island. The commissioner, Ernest Arthur Prior, found that they had been negligent and incompetent, and they were dismissed on the advice of cabinet.

Death Langwell died in Bondi on .