List of chief presidents of the Australian Natives' Association

The Australian Natives' Association (ANA) was a mutual society founded in Melbourne, Australia in April 1871. From 1877, the ANA elected a Chief President at their Annual Conference held at different cities each year.Menadue, p. 22. The ANA ceased having a Chief President in 1993, following their merger of certain operations with Manchester Unity IOOF of Victoria to create Australian Unity.

Chief presidents Year Name Portrait Branch elected from Conference elected at Additional informationThe information in the Chief Presidents' Table is contained in the ANA Conference Proceedings of the year following their election. i.e the year they preside at the conference. 1877-78 Thomas O'Callaghan Sandhurst Melbourne First Conference held on Melbourne Cup Day, 9 November 1877. O’Callaghan took a conservative view of the proper function of the ANA. He believed that as a benefit society it should have nothing to do with matters that might be considered political.Menadue, p. 346. 1879-80 Simon Cadden Ballarat MelbourneThe ninth branch of the ANA was formed in Charters Towers, Queensland, in 1879.Aveling, p. 40. 1881 Malachi James Cahill Sandhurst BallaratThe 1881 Census showed for the first time that the Australian born were for the first time in a majority, with 59% of the population. Cahill first proposes the precursor to Australia Day in 1884.Menadue, p. 347.The Bendigo Advertiser, TROVE National Library of Australia. 26 January 1906. Retrieved 15 May 2021.Hirst, John (26 January 2008). "Australia Day in question", The Age (Melbourne). Retrieved 30 June 2021. 1882 William Anderson Creswick MelbourneAnderson was active in promoting new branches, achieving five new branches in 1882 when Chief President.Aveling, p. 38. 1883 Richard Henry Hart Stawell StawellWhen Hart was Chief President membership of the ANA grew by 40%.Aveling, p. 53. 1884 Osbert Edrick Wilson Horsham CreswickWilson chaired the first public meeting run by the ANA in support of Federation of the Australian colonies and other national issues.Aveling, pp.76-78 1885-1886 Alexander Peacock Creswick Bendigo & MelbournePeacock was always an active office holder in the association, expanding its membership and branches in the 1880s, and leading it into an increasingly public role in the 1890s, especially in area of Federation.For biographies of Peacock see Advance Australia vol. 6, no. 7, 15 July 1902, p.12; Anapress June 1989, p.3; Alan Gregory, 'Peacock, Sir Alexander James (1861–1933)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/peacock-sir-alexander-james-7994/text13927. 1887 Thomas Jefferson Connelly Sandhurst BallaratConnelly was the founding editor of the second ANA journal, The National Australian. He also travelled to South Australia to form the ANA there. 1888-89 James Liddell Purves Melbourne Geelong & BendigoWhile his speeches alienated some, association grew in members and branches under his leadership, and his oratory aroused in its members a strong sense of responsibility for their country's future. 1890 David John Wheal Ballarat MaryboroughThe ANA Intercolonial Federation Conference held in Melbourne on 22 January 1890, with Wheal one of the Victorian delegates and as vice president.Aveling, p. 249. 1891 George Wise Sale AraratWise worked to federate Australia on a democratic basis.Menadue, p. 351. He was a trustee of the Association for 53 years. 1892 John William Larter Ballarat East SaleANA reaches 10,000 members.Menadue, p. 68. 1893 Alexander Peacock Creswick KynetonHis third term as Chief President. 1894 George Fitzsimmons Prahran Warrnambool The 1894 ANA Warrnambool Conference passed a series of radical motions adopting as ANA ‘planks’ a tax on the unimproved value of land, a minimum wage for workers in public utilities, and full adult suffrage.Aveling, M., George Fitzsimmons, unpublished paper, April 2021, P1 1895 Joseph Kirton Ballarat Melbourne 1896 James Hume Cook Brunswick Daylesford 1897 Richard Toutcher Richmond Castlemaine 1898 Carty Salmon Avoca Bendigo 1899 Edward Elliott Roberts Flemington Port Fairy 1900 Walter Skelton Dunnolly Geelong 1901 Thomas Crosbie North Melbourne Beechworth 1902 T. M. Burke Ararat Ballarat 1903 Arthur Robinson Malvern Daylesford 1904 J. M. A. Callaghan Coburg Bairnsdale 1905 T. Glass Sandhurst Queenscliff 1906 A. D. Freeman Castlemaine Shepparton 1907 A. J. O’Dwyer Echuca Hamilton 1908 A. G. Proudfoot Hawthorn Maryborough 1909 A. A. Peverill South Melbourne Geelong 1910 E. D. Wilcox Geelong Echuca 1911 John Lemmon Williamstown Warrnambool 1912 William Francis McNamara Rushworth Castlemaine 1913 Morris Mondle Phillips Malvern Ararat 1914 A. M. Taylor Ballarat Wangaratta 1915 J. H. Hewison Carlton Port Fairy 1916 A. C. Ostrom Echuca Warragul 1917 M. Davine Warragul Kerang 1918 C. A. Hack Collingwood Bendigo 1919 G. D. McLean Castlemaine Horsham 1920 G. Allen Moir Albert Park Sale 1921 Thos Rust Hawthorn Colac 1922 E. J. L. Bremner Toora Mildura 1923 Albert Bussau Hopetoun Bairnsdale 1924 V. L. Ginn Malvern Warrnambool 1925 J. Patterson Mildura Ballarat 1926 Bill Slater Hamilton Sorrento 1927 J. Green Mirboo North Hamilton 1928 A. Staples Bendigo Swan Hill 1929 A. G. Byrne South Yarra Healesville 1930 J. Howlett Ross Fitzroy Echuca 1931 D. Black Sunshine Warrnambool 1932 J. M. Elliot Ballarat East Bendigo 1933 R. C. Ritchie Murrumbeena Mornington 1934 Harry Drew Middle Park Mildura 1935 P. J. Toohey Warracknabeal Queenscliff 1936 G. F. Holland Albert Park Castlemaine 1937 J. W. Marrows Merbein Warragul 1938 S. J. Herron Prahran Sorrento 1939 J. B. Dwyer Warrnambool Warrnambool 1940 H. G. Hughes Geelong West Cowes 1941-42 J. E. Menadue Horsham SorrentoServed for two years as a result of the Second World War 1943 Dr. A. R. Haywood Hastings Melbourne 1944-45 H. B. V. Dimelow Fitzroy Melbourne Served for two years as a result of the Second World War 1946 P. J. Lynch CBE Murrumbeena Melbourne 1947 Bill Fulton Maffra Geelong 1948 R. J. Joseph St Kilda Ballarat 1949 A. Shaw Moyston Bendigo 1950 W. G. Smallman Footscray West Sorrento 1951 A. R. Milne Tatura Bendigo 1952 J. E. Kellway Elsternwick Ballarat 1953 C. W. Quihampton Fitzroy Queenscliff 1954 V. G. Wright Bentleigh Daylesford 1955 J. A. Donald Camberwell Mildura 1956 G. A. Abberton Williamstown Sorrento 1957 G. Briggs Burwood Lorne 1958 Arthur Smith Seymour Lorne 1959 T. R. Davey Balwyn & Deepdene Lakes Entrance 1960 E. W. Pitts Newport Ballarat 1961 H. J. Peagram South Yarra Daylesford 1962 H. T. Shannon Box Hill Warrnambool 1963 K. E. Rash Ballarat Wangaratta 1964 J. A. S Geddes Creswick Lorne Amalgamated with the Australasian Women's AssociationMenadue, p. 6. 1965 C. D. D. Martin Glen Iris Sorrento 1966 D. C. T. Robertson Camberwell Lorne 1967 J. E. Menadue Black Rock Wodonga Second term as Chief President 1968 H. A. Patterson Learmonth Mildura 1969 F. E. Capuano Essendon North Yarrawonga 1970 W. . Foley Ballarat Lakes Entrance 1971 A. J. Brisbane Wangaratta Wangaratta 1972 H. T. Murley Bendigo Swan Hill 1973 B. J. Kelleher Chadstone Sale 1974 J. A. S Geddes Creswick Horsham Second term as Chief President 1975 L. J. Yelland Elsternwick Shepparton 1976 F. E. Capuano Essendon North Wodonga Second term as Chief President 1977 Mrs. I. V. Meagher Fairfield & Alphington Portland The first Female Chief President, previously a member of AWA. 1978 H. J. Peagram South Yarra Bairnsdale 1979 W. A. Cuddihy Elsternwick Wangaratta 1980 R. A. Storey AIHIA Bendigo Bendigo 1981 W. L. J. Crofts Altona Hamilton 1982 E. S. A. Wickham Hawthorn Ballarat 1983 Mrs. S. V. Wright Rosebud Horsham 1984 B. W. Armstrong Glen Iris Yarrawonga 1985 W. L. J. Cook Geelong Geelong 1986 G. D. Wearne Newington Sale 1987 J. H. Dean Bendigo Warrnambool 1988 W. R. Jewell Box Hill Swan Hill 1989 T. A. Byrne Yarraville Bendigo Agreement to merge ANA with the Manchester Unity IOOF Friendly Society to create Australia Unity. 1990 Alan Yawkins Ballarat 1990 Leon Hickey Central Merger of ANA with the Manchester Unity to create Australia Unity was completed.

References

Sources Aveling, M. (1970). A History of the Australian Natives Association 1871-1900, Melbourne: Department of History, Monash University - Thesis. Menadue, J. E. (1971) A Centenary History of The Australian Natives Association 1871 - 1971, Horticultural Press: Melbourne.