Joseph Creer

Joseph Creer (1 February 1832 – 17 August 1913) was a Manx-born Australian politician and cabinetmaker.

He was born on the Isle of Man to farmer Patrick Creer and Ann Quirk. He married Annie Harrison at Liverpool in 1854; they had nine children.^[1] In 1855 he migrated to New South Wales, settling in Maitland, where he worked as a builder and broom manufacturer.^[2] He left Maitland due to flooding and moved to Newcastle in 1870, working as a cabinet maker, until his business was destroyed by fire. He then established a successful business as an auctioneer. He was a prominent member of the temperance movement in Newcastle,^[2] and was appointed a magistrate in 1880.^[3]

In 1867 he was elected an alderman of the Borough of West Maitland.^[4] He was defeated in February 1869,^[5] but re-elected to a casual vacancy in April 1869.^[6] He was first elected an alderman for Newcastle in 1875, serving until 1887,^[3] including as Mayor of Newcastle in 1881. In 1885 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as one of the members for Northumberland on a protectionist platform. An independent protectionist when political parties emerged in 1887, he joined the Protectionist Party in 1889 and held his seat until his defeat in 1891.^[7] He did not hold any ministerial or parliamentary office.^[1]

Creer was appointed superintendent of the government labour bureau in 1892, holding the position for ten years until 1901 when he was appointed a Labour Commissioner, before retiring in 1902 when he went on a trip to Europe and North America.^[8] He moved to Summer Hill on his return,^[9] where he died in 1913 (aged 82).^[1][10]