He was born in England and arrived in Australia at the age of 18, eventually amassing vast pastoral holdings across Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland.

He served as the party's inaugural deputy leader for just over one year, on a provisional basis under the leadership of William McWilliams.

He attended Mr James Ward's Classical School at Clapham Common in London and went to his uncle's wool mill at Thornton.

He migrated to Melbourne in Australia in 1876 with his father and elder brother Charles, where he worked on The Argus and contributed to the Australasian Banking Record.

However, in October he won the by-election for the seat of Grampians that followed the death of Carty Salmon, and became a member of the Country Party in 1920.