E. H. Coombe

Infobox MLA
name = Ephraim Henry Coombe
title = MHA
nationality = Australian


predecessor = John William Downer
successor = Richard Butler, 1912, Henry Burgess Crosby, 1917
birth_date = 26 August 1858 | birth_date | 26 August 1858
birth_place = Gawler, South Australia
death_date = 5 April 1917
death_place = Adelaide
constituency = Barossa
party = Liberal and Democratic Union, 1906-1912
United Labor Party, 1915-1917
spouse = Sarah Susannah Fraser Heywood
profession = Newspaper Editor
religion = Anglican


footnotes = [cite web | url = http://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/From1836/ | title = Statistical Record of the Legislature 1836 to 2007 | work = Statistical Record of the Legislature of South Australia from the Inauguration of the Government on 28 December 1836, until 24 April 2007 | publisher = Legislative Council | accessdate = 2008-03-13]

Ephraim Henry Coombe (August 261858-April 51917) was born at Gawler, South Australia. He was the eldest son of Ephraim Coombe, a farm-labourer and shopkeeper from Devon, and his wife Mary, née Lock. After working as a grocery assistant in his father's shop, he became a journalist and editor of the Gawler "Bunyip" newspaper. Later, in 1914, he became editor of the Adelaide "Daily Herald". On 1 March 1880 in Adelaide he married Sarah Susannah Fraser Heywood of Willaston.

Coombe was the member for Barossa [The electorate of the Barossa no longer exists; and would be similar to the current (in 2006) Electoral district of Schubert] in the South Australian House of Assembly from 1901- 1912. He resigned from the Liberal and Democratic Union and joined the United Labor Party. He re-entered Parliament in 1915, again as member for the Barossa.

Coombe is remembered for his defence during World War I of the Barossa Valley German community, members of whom were suspected of disloyalty and persecuted. During World War I, Coombe opposed anti-German measures such as the closure of Lutheran schools. He also opposed conscription. Coombe died in 1917.A memorial was erected in his honour in Tanunda's main street.

In March 1917, Coombe had been prosecuted under the "War Precautions Act", fined £10 and "bound over to keep the peace". Despite having three sons who were serving in the forces, he was accused of disloyalty because of his support for his constituents. His premature death at the age of 58 from cerebral haemorrhage in 1917 has been attributed to the stress of "persecution" over the loyalty issues. [Explanatory plaque beside the Coombe memorial in Tanunda.]

In 1887/88, Coombe had played first class cricket for South Australia. However, he only played in one match scoring 10 runs. [cite web | url = http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/4770.html | title = Ephraim Coombe | work = Australia players and officials | publisher = Cricinfo , part of The Wisden Group | accessdate = 2006-05-12]

Coombe was active in the arts, being governor of the Adelaide Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery in 1901-06. He also wrote a history of his home town, 'History of Gawler, 1837-1908', published by the Gawler Institute in 1910 as a memento of the jubilee of the Institute and the Municipality of Gawler, 1908. [cite web | url = http://nla.gov.au/anbd.bib-an02085645 | title = Libraries Australia - History of Gawler, 1837-1908 / compiled by E.H. Coombe.]

References and notes

External links

* [http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A080114b.htm?hilite=coombe Australian dictionary of Biography]