Arthur Groom (politician)

Australian politician (1852–1922)

The Honourable

Arthur Groom

Member of the Australian Parliament
for Flinders
In office
29 March 1901 – 23 November 1903
Preceded by| New seat
Succeeded by| James Gibb
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Gippsland South
In office
1886–1889
Preceded by| Francis Mason
Succeeded by| Francis Mason
Personal details
Born| (1852-11-26)26 November 1852
St Marys, Tasmania
Died| 22 March 1922(1922-03-22) (aged 69)
Cloncurry, Queensland
Nationality| Australian
Political party| Free Trade Party
Spouse(s)| 1) Gertrude Rudge
2) Eva Rosabel
Occupation| Stock agent

Arthur Champion Groom (26 November 1852 – 22 March 1922) was an Australian politician and land agent.

## Early life[edit]

Groom was born at 'Harefield' in St Marys, Van Diemen's Land, the fifth son of Francis Groom and Matilda Emma, née Minnett. He attended Horton College at Ross before arriving in Victoria in 1872. He married Gertrude Rudge, with whom he had a daughter and three sons, at Geelong on 8 January 1877, at which time he was managing a nearby station. He continued in the stock and land management business for many years.[1]

## State politics[edit]

As principal of the firm Hamilton, Groom & Co., Groom became associated with the Gippsland area. He was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly for the seat of Gippsland South in March 1886, and transferred to Gippsland West in 1889, but lost his seat in 1892. He continued to be active in the local area; he became a member of the Railway Standing Committee in 1890 and was a member of the royal commission on the Victorian coal industry in 1889.[2]

## Federal politics[edit]

Groom was elected to the seat of Flinders in the Australian House of Representatives at the inaugural federal election in 1901, representing the Free Trade Party. He was rarely present at Parliament as he continued his work as a stock agent, and retired from the House in 1903.[1]

## Later life[edit]

After leaving parliament, he bought a property, Kyogle, in northern New South Wales, an extremely successful venture which turned Groom's interest further north. In 1910 he moved to Queensland, where he lived until his death on 22 March 1922 at Cloncurry. He was survived by his second wife Eva Rosabel, and their three daughters and four sons (including Arthur), together with a daughter of his first marriage.[1]

## See also[edit]

* List of people with surname Groom

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c Moorhead, Leslie M. "Groom, Arthur Champion (1852 - 1922)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
2. ^ "Arthur Champion Groom". Re-Member: a database of all Victorian MPs since 1851. Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2022.

Parliament of Australia

New division |  Member for Flinders
1901–1903  | Succeeded by

James Gibb

Authority control databases: People |

* Australia
* Trove

|