Alfred Hampson

Alfred Hampson
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Bendigo
In office
6 February 1915 – 5 May 1917
Preceded byJohn Arthur
Succeeded byBilly Hughes
Personal details
Born15 September 1864
White Hills, Victoria
Died19 May 1924(1924-05-19) (aged 59)
Nandaly, Victoria
NationalityAustralian
Political partyAustralian Labor Party
Spouse(s)Rundle, Alice Maud
OccupationSoap manufacturer

Alfred John Hampson (15 September 1864 – 19 May 1924) was an Australian politician.

Born in White Hills, a suburb of Bendigo, Victoria, Hampson received a primary education before becoming a eucalyptus and soap manufacturer. In 1911, he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly as the Labor member for Bendigo East.[1] He remained in that position until 1915, when he transferred to the Australian House of Representatives, winning a by-election for the seat of Bendigo. He remained in Parliament until 1917, when the Nationalist Prime Minister, Billy Hughes, contested the seat and defeated Hampson.[2]

Hampson remains the only sitting MP to have been challenged and ousted by the sitting prime minister for his seat.

Following his defeat, Hampson enlisted with the AIF on 23 October 1917, giving his date of birth as 15 September 1868, and his wife Alice Maud Caroline Hampson of 76 Addison Street, Elwood (at that time very much a working-class suburb) as his next of kin. He embarked for France in November 1917, serving with the 2nd Railway Company. Returning to Australia in October 1919, he was appointed as an inspector for the Victorian Closer Settlement Board.[3]

Hampson's body was found in his car in Nandaly, Victoria, his death having apparently been caused by a heart attack.[3] He was buried in the Bendigo cemetery.

  1. ^ "Alfred John Hampson". Re-Member: a database of all Victorian MPs since 1851. Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  2. ^ Carr, Adam (2008). "Australian Election Archive". Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive. Archived from the original on 14 May 2008. Retrieved 14 June 2008.
  3. ^ a b "Personal". Daily Herald. Adelaide. 22 May 1924. p. 2. Retrieved 13 April 2014 – via National Library of Australia. He appeared to receive no mainstream newspaper obituary.