Chester Manifold

James Chester Manifold (10 February 1867 – 30 October 1918) was an Australian politician and philanthropist. Manifold attended Geelong Grammar School, and went to England with his family in 1881; however, the northern climate did not agree with his health, so the family returned. He subsequently attended Melbourne Church of England Grammar School, and, when he came into possession of a property, he used it mostly to rent for dairy farmers, to who... more

James Chester Manifold (10 February 1867 – 30 October 1918) was an Australian politician and philanthropist. Manifold attended Geelong Grammar School, and went to England with his family in 1881; however, the northern climate did not agree with his health, so the family returned. He subsequently attended Melbourne Church of England Grammar School, and, when he came into possession of a property, he used it mostly to rent for dairy farmers, to whom he later sold the land. He was a member of Hampden Shire Council in the 1890s, being its president twice. On 11 March 1891, he married Lilian Eva Curle. Manifold was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the inaugural member for Corangamite in 1901, representing the Protectionist Party. He retired in 1903 due to ill health, but was persuaded to oppose the sitting Labor member, future Prime Minister James Scullin, in 1913 for the Commonwealth Liberal Party. He defeated Scullin in the election of that year. He held the seat... less