William Hemmant
William Hemmant was a British-Australian politician who served in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland from 1871 to 1876.
Hemmant was born in Kirkgate, Yorkshire, England, to Thomas and Isabella on 24 November 1837. He worked as a draper in London before moving in 1859 to Ballarat, Victoria, where he worked as miner during the gold rush. He moved to Brisbane the following year, where he established a drapery shop with Alexander Stewart. The Great Fire of Brisbane in 1864 was said by some to have started in the Stewart and Hemmant shop, and the two gave evidence during a colonial inquiry into the fire. Nonetheless, the two built a successful department store and clothing manufactury.
He travelled to England to marry Lucy Ground on the 20 September 1866, and returned to Brisbane early the next year. In 1869 he built Eldernell House which is now the home of the Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane.
. He won the seat of East Moreton in the Legislative Assembly in 1871, and successfully contested Bulimba in 1873. He served as Colonial Treasurer from 1874 to 1876. He is credited with producing four badges as candidates for the Flag of Queensland, from which the current badge, a crowned Maltese cross, was chosen.
After he left politics in 1876, he returned to England with his family, settling in Kent. He built a house called Bulimba in Sevenoaks. Hemmant and Lucy had 10 children. He died on 20 September 1916, his 50th wedding anniversary.
A south Brisbane suburb bears his name.
