42 Guthrie Street, Paddington

Edward Michael Hanlon was born in Paddington on 1 October 1887. After working as a barristers’ message-boy and in a grocery store, he joined Queensland Railways as a porter in 1903. During his teens he belonged to the Toowong Workers’ Political Organisation and was involved in the development of railway unionism. He was directly involved in the 1912 General Strike, the failure of which saw him forced to leave the railway and enter into a grocery business with his brother Patrick Hanlon. He became Secretary of the Ithaca Branch of the ALP and a delegate to the Wages Board for the Shop Assistants’ Union. During World War One he enlisted in the AIF and served with the 9th Battalion in France. He returned to the grocery business and in April 1922 married Elizabeth Carver in St Brigid’s Church, Red Hill.

On 8 May 1926 he was elected to the Queensland Parliament as member for Ithaca. He held the seat for the rest of his life. It was during this time that he had this house in Guthrie Street built. He lived there until his death, despite his subsequent elevation to Queensland Premier. Under Forgan Smith’s Labor government, Edward (‘Ned’) Hanlon was Home Secretary from 1932-35 then Secretary for Health and Home Affairs, including during the difficult years of World War II. As the minister he was largely responsible for the development and implementation of welfare policies, and under Hanlon’s administration there were significant developments in the promotion of health in the Queensland population, particularly in the areas of maternal and child welfare. He also initiated a system of prison farms for prisoner rehabilitation.

During this period Hanlon altered and extended his home to accommodate his growing family. “In 1938, associated with the advent of sewerage, he added a three room extension at the rear, [after the] war he enclosed the front and side verandahs and created an additional room … He eliminated a wall separating the lunge from the formal dining room” (PJ Hanlon letter).

On 27 April 1944, Edward Michael Hanlon became treasurer and deputy premier. From 7 March 1946 until his death in office in 1952, Edward Hanlon was premier of Queensland.  Hanlon’s wife, Elizabeth, who worked tirelessly alongside him during the depression and war years, and made her own valuable contribution to community welfare, died in June 1946. In the postwar period there was much political and industrial turmoil, which perhaps undermined his health. He died in office on 15 January 1952 and was survived by one of his two sons and three daughters.

The windows are shaded with individual hoods. These are made of timber with corrugated iron roofs.  The house is raised above the ground on stumps.  

Vertical battening running the length of the front entryway to the street provides privacy to the main entry.