Herbert Pratten

manufacturer, mining entrepreneur and politician in New South Wales, Australia (1865–1928)

A printing company established in 1889 serves as the foundation for the business career of Herbert Pratten, who built an industrial portfolio across Australia. Beyond his ventures in printing, jam manufacturing, and mining, he transitioned into federal politics, eventually serving as a key cabinet minister in the Bruce–Page government during the 1920s.

Early Business Ventures

Born in Mangotsfield, England, in 1865, Pratten moved to Sydney in 1884 to work for John Lysaght and Co. He quickly diversified his interests, founding a soft drink business in Ashfield and partnering with his half-brother Frederick to grow Pratten Bros. into a major printing firm. By 1895, he took control of the jam manufacturer Taylor Bros. and later became a director of the Stanmore Preserving Company, leveraging cold-storage techniques for fruit pulp exports.

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Mining and International Trade

Pratten expanded into resources by establishing the Hargraves Consolidated Goldmining Company in 1911. He also co-founded the Austral-Malay Tin Mining Company, which consolidated into Larut Tin Fields Limited in 1926. His travels throughout Asia inspired two books, Asiatic Impressions and Through Orient to Occident, where he analyzed the economic potential of the region and advocated for Australian trade commissions in Calcutta and Shanghai.

Political Progression

Following service on the Ashfield Municipal Council and a presidency at the New South Wales Chamber of Manufactures, Pratten entered federal politics. After unsuccessful attempts in 1910 and 1914, he was elected to the Senate in 1917 as a Nationalist. He moved to the House of Representatives in 1921, where he played a pivotal role in the negotiations that led to the formation of the Bruce–Page coalition government.

Cabinet Minister

In June 1924, Pratten became the Minister for Trade and Customs. A committed protectionist, he utilized high tariffs to shield local manufacturers from international dumping and currency depreciation. He formalized the Tariff Board and implemented significant amendments to the Customs Tariff Act in 1925 and 1926, targeting the textile and iron and steel industries. He served in the cabinet until his death from a cerebral haemorrhage on his 63rd birthday in 1928.