He left school aged eleven and worked in a cordial factory, then as an alluvial miner and contractor near Murchison.
[9] In August 1910, he was expelled from the Labor Party for co-founding the Commonwealth Protectionist Association, but after continuing opposition to the expulsion from various branches was readmitted following a special state conference to deal with the issue in November 1910.
[9] In June 1920, Hannah lost preselection to recontest Collingwood at the 1920 election to T. A. McAllen, state vice-president of the Victorian Liquor Trades Association.
[14][15] He attempted to win a second term as an independent at the 1921 election, but was soundly defeated by Labor candidate and future party leader Tom Tunnecliffe.
[16] He made two unsuccessful attempts to return to parliament, both times as an independent: at the 1922 federal election for the seat of Batman and at a 1928 state by-election for Brighton, losing his deposit on the latter occasion.
He frequently undertook lecture tours on the subject of promoting and developing the Australian forestry industry (including a visit to the United States in 1926) and would often handmake gifts for prominent figures from Australian wood to promote its use, with recipients including Douglas MacArthur.