History

This chair was not designed for the Provisional Parliament House in the 1920s, but was purchased at a later date. The origin of this chair and its purpose within the building is unclear. This chair is a unique object in the museum’s collection as it is quite ornate, in contrast to the majority of the furniture in the collection with its minimal and utilitarian design. The design of this chair dates from circa 1750-90, although the chair itself is a reproduction and was probably manufactured in the mid 20th century. It is suspected that this piece was purchased for a particular reason, such as a special event, or for use by an important person, such as a Senior Parliamentary Officer. It was initially thought that this chair was purchased as part of a suite to be used for one of the Queen’s visits to Parliament, due to its design and the similarity of this piece with furniture evident in photographs of the Queen’s visits. However, the photographs of the Royal visits show different furniture in use and do not support this claim. A Parliamentary Official who worked in the building during this time is convinced that this chair was not purchased for the Queen’s visit, but was purchased in 1956-57 for Speaker Sir John McLeay’s (1956-1967) reception area along with a matching chair, a table (1999-1782), two armchairs (2001-2071) and an extension table.

If this chair was purchased for the reception area in the Speaker’s suite, which seems highly likely, it is certainly symbolic of the importance of the role of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the Provisional Parliament House. The Speaker’s most important duty was to preside over and maintain control of debate in the House of Representatives Chamber. The Speaker kept order by interpreting and enforcing the rules of parliamentary procedure and practice. Although usually elected from the governing party of the day, the Speaker should be fair and impartial. Outside the Chamber the Speaker managed the Provisional Parliament House together with the President of the Senate; their large corner suites reflect the status of the two presiding officers. The Speaker and the President of the Senate both received foreign Heads of State and delegations visiting Australia from other nations, and other distinguished visitors to the House of Representatives or Senate. Hospitality for these events is one aspect of the responsibilities of the Speaker’s office and the Speaker’s suite includes rooms and furniture to support these duties.