Robert Fowler (13 July 1840 – 12 June 1906) was an Australian politician. He was born in

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

to pottery manufacturer Enoch Fowler and Jane Lucas. After attending Christ Church School, he worked in his father's pottery business, becoming a partner when his father died in 1879. On 2 October 1867 he married Jane Seale, with whom he had eight children. Closely involved in local government, he served on Cook Municipal Council (1869–70, mayor 1870), Camperdown Municipal Council (1870–71, mayor 1870–71) and

Sydney City Council The City of Sydney is the local government area covering the Sydney central business district and surrounding inner city suburbs of the Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Established by Act of Parliament in 1842, the City of Sydney is ...

(1872–87, 1890–1901, mayor 1880). In 1894 he was elected to the

New South Wales Legislative Assembly The New South Wales Legislative Assembly is the lower of the two houses of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The upper house is the New South Wales Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House ...

as the

Free Trade Free trade is a trade policy that does not restrict imports or exports. In government, free trade is predominantly advocated by political parties that hold Economic liberalism, economically liberal positions, while economic nationalist politica ...

member for Sydney-Phillip. Defeated in 1895, he was appointed to the

New South Wales Legislative Council The New South Wales Legislative Council, often referred to as the upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, parliament of the Australian state of New South Wales. Along with the New South Wales Legislative As ...

, where he served until his death at Camperdown in 1906.

References

1840 births 1906 deaths Colony of New South Wales people Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council Free Trade Party politicians Mayors and lord mayors of Sydney 19th-century Australian politicians {{Australia-FreeTrade-politician-stub