Thomas Scholfield

Thomas Scholfield
MC
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Wannon
In office
19 December 1931 – 21 September 1940
Preceded byJohn McNeill
Succeeded byDon McLeod
Personal details
Born(1894-05-09)9 May 1894
Telangatuk East, Victoria
Died25 June 1964(1964-06-25) (aged 70)
NationalityAustralian
Political partyUnited Australia Party
OccupationFarmer

Thomas Hallett Scholfield, MC (9 May 1894 – 25 June 1964) was an Australian politician. He was a United Australia Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1931 to 1940, representing the electorate of Wannon.

Scholfield was born in Talangatuk East, Victoria, where he attended state schools and became a farmer. He enlisted to serve in World War I in January 1915, fought with the 21st Battalion at Gallipoli and in France, and received the Military Medal and Military Cross, returning to Australia in June 1919. He subsequently became a soldier settler in the Balmoral area before acquiring a farm near Hamilton, and was a councillor and president of the Shire of Kowree.[1][2]

He was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1931 federal election, defeating Labor MP John McNeill. He had campaigned on a platform of addressing the needs of primary producers.[1][2][3] He held the seat until his defeat by Labor candidate Don McLeod at the 1940 election.[4] He unsuccessfully recontested the seat as an independent in 1943.[5]

During World War II, Scholfield served as deputy-assistant quartermaster general in the Volunteer Defence Corps.[6]

Following World War II, Scholfield moved to New South Wales and assumed a prominent role as organising secretary of the New England New State Movement.[7]

Scholfield died in 1964.[8]

  1. ^ a b "U. A. P. Candidate for Wannon". The Narracoorte Herald. Vol. LI, no. 5, 746. South Australia. 8 December 1931. p. 4. Retrieved 15 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ a b "IN THE ELECTORATES". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 26, 630. Victoria, Australia. 21 December 1931. p. 10. Retrieved 15 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "DETAILS OF THE BALLOT WHEN COUNTING CEASE FIGURES CONTINUED: VOTING FOR THE SEN". The Herald. No. 17, 034. Victoria, Australia. 20 December 1931. p. 2. Retrieved 15 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "LABOR CAPTURES WANNON SEAT". The Horsham Times. No. 8407. Victoria, Australia. 4 October 1940. p. 1. Retrieved 15 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "PREPARATION NOW FOR AFTER WAR". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 30, 244. Victoria, Australia. 3 August 1943. p. 3. Retrieved 15 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "V.D.C. DIRECTOR IN MELBOURNE". The Herald. No. 20, 317. Victoria, Australia. 27 June 1942. p. 11. Retrieved 15 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "SECRETARY HAS FINE RECORD". Daily Examiner. No. 7017. New South Wales, Australia. 1 October 1952. p. 4. Retrieved 15 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ Carr, Adam (2008). "Australian Election Archive". Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 20 June 2008.