Thomas Brooker

Thomas Henry Brooker (30 December 1850 – 11 July 1927) was a politician in colonial South Australia. He was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly from 1890 to 1905, representing West Torrens (1890–1902) and Port Adelaide (1902–1905). He was Minister for Education and Minister for Industry in the Jenkins ministry from May 1901 to March 1902.

History T. H. Brooker was born in Kensington, England, and arrived at Port Adelaide with his parents, William Brooker (c. 1826 – 24 January 1909), bricklayer, and his wife Jane, née Gemmell, on the Caroline in April 1855, and spent the greater part of his life in the West Torrens district. His father was severely injured in a building collapse at Port Adelaide, and had to abandon his trade in 1875 for a position as Hindmarsh poundkeeper.

For 15 years he worked for Thomas Hardy at Bankside (now Torrensville and Underdale, learning a good deal about primary production. Subsequently he worked as a salesman and wood merchant at Ridleyton.

By 1887 he was a greengrocer in Carrondown (today's Brompton), and was elected a Councillor for Brompton Ward in the Hindmarsh Corporation, and acted in that capacity for five years. In December 1891 he was elected without opposition as Mayor of Hindmarsh, succeeding Joseph Vardon, and served for one year. He was elected as an Independent Liberal to the South Australian House of Assembly multi-member seats of West Torrens from April 1890 to March 1902 and Port Adelaide from May 1902 to May 1905, holding his seat during the regime of four Governments. In 1898 he was made Government Whip in succession to (later Sir) Richard Butler, and in 1901 followed Lee Batchelor as Minister of Education and Industry in the Jenkins ministry. He resigned his portfolio in 1902 when the size of Cabinet was reduced. He was a Vice President of the Homestead League, and a supporter of the Village Settlement scheme. and Mary Brooker (c. 1867 – January 1929) who married James Walter Snook on 6 October 1890.