Francis Drake Willmott (23 January 1904 – 4 August 2004) was an Australian politician who was a

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

member of the

Legislative Council A legislative council is the legislature, or one of the legislative chambers, of a nation, colony, or subnational division such as a province or state. It was commonly used to label unicameral or upper house legislative bodies in the Brit ...

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

from 1955 to 1974. He is the only member of the

Parliament of Western Australia The Parliament of Western Australia is the bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Australian states and territories of Australia, state of Western Australia, which constitutes the legislative branch of the state's political system. The parl ...

known to have lived past the age of 100.''The Western Australian Parliamentary Handbook (Twenty-Third Edition)''
, p. 242. Willmott was born in Nannup, a small town in the

South West Southwest is a compass point. Southwest, south-west, south west, southwestern or south-western or south western may also refer to: * Southwest (direction), an intercardinal direction Geography *South West Queensland, Australia *South West (Weste ...

region of Western Australia, to Frances Edith (née Brockman) and Francis Edward Sykes Willmott. His father, uncle ( Edmund Vernon Brockman), and first cousin (

William Willmott William Henry Francis Willmott (16 May 1895 – 2 May 1947) was an Australian politician who was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1938 until his death, representing the seat of Sussex. Willmott was born in Bussel ...

) were all also members of parliament. Willmott was sent to

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

to be educated, boarding at

Hale School Hale School is an independent, Anglican day and boarding school for boys, located in Wembley Downs, a western suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Named after the school founded by Bishop Mathew Blagden Hale in 1858, Hale School claims to ...

. He afterward returned to his father's farm near

Bridgetown Bridgetown (UN/LOCODE: BB BGI) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Barbados. Formerly The Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the Parishes of Barbados, parish of Saint Michael, Barbados, Saint Mic ...

, which he and his brother eventually took over. Willmott was elected to the Bridgetown Road Board in 1941, serving until 1947.Francis Drake Willmott
– Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 20 May 2016. A long-time member of the Liberal Party, Willmott was elected to parliament at a Legislative Council by-election in September 1955, necessitated by the death of

Charles Henning Charles Harriot Henning (21 September 1897 – 22 June 1955) was an Australian military officer, farmer, and politician who was a Liberal Party member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia from 1951 until his death, representing South ...

. Representing South-West Province, a Liberal stronghold, he was elected unopposed at all subsequent elections. Willmott was appointed deputy chairman of committees after the 1965 state election, serving until his retirement at the 1974 election. He retired to Perth after leaving parliament, where he died in August 2004, aged 100. Willmott had married Edith Frances Riches in 1934, with whom he had two sons and a daughter. His wife was a granddaughter of James Henry Young, who was a state MP in New South Wales.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Willmott, Francis 1904 births 2004 deaths Australian men centenarians 20th-century Australian farmers Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Western Australia Members of the Western Australian Legislative Council People educated at Hale School People from the South West (Western Australia) Australian people of English descent 20th-century Australian politicians Farmers from Western Australia

See also

References