Harold Vivian Piesse
Harold Vivian Piesse
12/06/1884 – 16/09/1944
Harold Vivian Piesse, the son of Frederick Henry Piesse, was born 12 July 1884 in Williams. He moved to Katanning with his family in 1889 where he married Elizabeth Martin Verney and had two children.
He was elected to the West Australian State Parliament in 1931 as an Independent Country Party representative (later Country Party); a position he held until 1944. Mr Piesse was a Member of the Joint Select Committee on Bulk Handling Bill 1932, Member of the Select Committee on the Administration Act (Estate and Succession Duties) Amendment Bill 1934, Member of the Select Committee on the Financial Emergency Bill 1934 and Member of the Select Committee on the Industrial Arbitration Act Amendment Bill (No 1) 1937.
Mr Piesse took over managing the family interests of F & C Piesse after his father’s death in 1912 and helped direct Piesse Estates, farming and grazing. He personally controlled “Braeside” Farm at Katanning and helped develop “Riverdale” property at Kojonup.
As an agent and financial adviser he was also Managing Director of Katanning Stock and Trading Company; Richardson and Co Ltd, Katanning; Katanning Flour Mills Ltd; Malcolm and Co, Wagin; BCD and Piesse, Perth; Director of Palatine Fire Insurance Company, Perth; Director of the Boys’ Grammar School in Katanning; and was a Member of Great Southern Sheep Breeders Association.
He joined Perth Artillery in 1899, volunteered for service in World War I and was rejected but was then promoted to Lieutenant and Commander of 25th Light Horse Training Camp. Harold Piesse died in 1944 at “Strathfield” in Katanning and is buried at Katanning Cemetery.
OBITUARY
Harold Vivian Piesse
Great Southern Herald
30 September, 1944
Mr. Harold Vivian Piesse, member for the South-East Province in the Legislative Council, died at his home, ‘Strathfield,’ Katanning, on Saturday morning, September 16, after a lengthy period of ill-health. The third son of Mr. F. H. Piesse, MLA, CMG, Mr Piesse was born at The Williams in 1884 and, with his parents came to Katanning in 1889.
Harold Piesse was educated at the Perth High School and afterwards completed a course at the Hawkesbury Agricultural College (N.S.W.). Returning to this State in 1902, he took over the management of the farming interests of F. and C. Piesse and, upon the death of his father, he helped in the management of the business portion of the Piesse Estate.
Mr. Piesse led a very active life and, like his father, proved himself a man of broad vision with unfailing confidence in his home district. He greatly assisted in the development of farming and grazing operations in the Katanning-Kojonup districts, and was a member of the Great Southern Sheepbreeder’s Association from the inception of that organisation.
BCD & Piesse Ltd
Collection No: 8292B/A/30318-1
He was associated with the development of the 10,000-acre ‘Riverdale‘ property at Kojonup, and personally controlled ‘Braeside Farm‘ at Katanning. In a business capacity he was connected with Richardson & Co. Ltd., The Katanning Stock and Trading Co. Ltd., Katanning Flour Mills Ltd. and B.C.D. and Piesse Ltd. (of which he was managing director). Until he entered Parliament Mr. Piesse was a representative of the Australian Mutual Provident Society, and held the absolute record of business written up by an individual agent. In his younger days he was a great horseman and keenly interested in military affairs, holding a commission in the original 10th Light Horse.
Mr. Piesse was elected member for the South-East Province in the Legislative Council in May, 1932, and remained in office until his death. With his knowledge of farming and business he proved himself an authority on farmers’ debt adjustment, a fact recognised by his colleagues in Parliament. He was the fifth member of the Piesse family to be elected to Parliament, and ably upheld the traditions of a name associated intimately with the development and government of Western Australia.
He had an unbounded capacity for making, and keeping, friends and, despite the enormous number of contacts he made, had the reputation of never forgetting a face or a name.
In 1911, Mr. Piesse married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Verney, of Balmain, Sydney. He is survived by his widow, and a son and daughter. His son, Francis, enlisted in the AIF in the early stages of the present war and saw four years of service overseas, and his daughter, Betty, served overseas with the V.A.D (Voluntary Aid Detachment).
A memorial service was held at St. Andrews Church on the Sunday morning, the funeral taking place the same afternoon following the Burial Service at the Church, from which the long cortege moved to the Katanning Cemetery, where the remains were laid to rest in the private burial ground of the Piesse family, in the Anglican portion of the cemetery. The Rector, Rev. T. R. Pelham Thorman officiated at all three services, funeral arrangements being carried out by Messrs. C. E. Courtis and Co., and John Squires (in conjunction).
Chief Mourners present were Miss Betty Piesse (daughter); Mrs. R. Reid (sister); Mr. A. J. Watson (uncle); Messrs. E. S. R, Piesse, H. G. Piesse, Maley Chipper, Claude L. Piesse, G. A. W. Piesse J. A. McMillan, and Bill Piesse (cousins); Mr. R. H. Reid (brother-in-law).
Pall-bearers were Messrs. J. Fitzmaurice (Dalgety & Co. Ltd., and AMP Society), J. W. Old (President Katanning sub-branch RSL), F. M. Bowden (chairman, Katanning Road Board). P. H. Crossley (vice-president, Great Southern Sheepbreeder’s Association), A. G. Hobbs (director, Katanning Flour Mills Ltd.), and H. S. Seward, MLA (representing Parliament and Country & Democratic League).