Sir Edmund Barton was born in Sydney on 18 January 1849. He is known for being the first Prime Minister of Australia and later becoming a judge of high court. He was the ninth child in a very large family. He was educated at Fort Street High School and later at Sydney Grammar School where he was dux and school captain. Barton first stepped into politics when he was attending university and he stood for the legislative assembly but he was defeated by 6 votes. He tried for the seat twice more and won in August 1879.
When it was abolished in 1880 he became the member for Wellington. Edmund Barton was a strong supporter of federation and throughout the 1890’s he campaigned for federation. In March 1897 he was considered “The acknowledged leader of the federal movement in all Australia. ” When Barton become Prime Minister in 1901 few people believed that he didn’t deserve the position as he was the leading federalist in the oldest state. The main task of his ministry was to organise the conduct of the first election in which he was elected unopposed in the seat of Hunter.
His Protectionist party won enough seats to form a government with the support of the labour party. Barton travelled to England for much of 1902 he was in England for the coronation of King Edward VII. Near the end of 1903 Edmund Barton left Parliament to become a founding judge of the High court of Australia. He was succeeded by Alfred Deakin. He was a Judge of the high court for 17 years until his death in 1920 Edmund Barton was an integral part of Australia’s federation. He led the way in the federal movement and later became a founding part of the High Court.
