Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 12 Text from the book: 'The Presiding Officers of the Parliament of New South Wales', Sydney, 1995 Henry Willis was born on 6 April 1860 at Port Adelaide, South Australia. Coming to Sydney in 1888 he married Annie Moore in September 1889 and they had three sons and two daughters. A successful businessman, Willis owned numerous properties throughout Australia. Elected the first Mayor of Cabramatta and Canley Vale, he was also an Alderman on the Camden and Randwick Councils, later being elected to the House of Representatives for Robertson in 1901. Following his defeat in the 1910 Federal Elections he entered the Legislative Assembly later that year as the Liberal Member for the Upper Hunter. Despite his limited knowledge of Parliamentary customs and procedures, Willis offered himself for the Speakership in 1911 when the Labor Government lost its majority of one. Although his election as Speaker broke the deadlock and prevented a dissolution of Parliament, Willis' ambition to achieve office was the cause of great bitterness and animosity amongst members of his own party, who considered his bid as their main obstacle to achieving government. However, the real controversy associated with his Speakership came from the style of his administration. The 'Votes and Proceedings' of the period reveal that on nearly every occasion that Parliament sat there was disorder in the House and dissension from the Speaker's rulings. Willis used his position to broaden the authority of the Speaker, claiming the power to remove Members (once with the aid of the police) and to censor speeches. His hostile and aggressive behaviour saw a number of censure motions moved against him as well as several civil actions for assault and illegal ejection, one of which was successful. Willis also pursued a policy of administrative reform, establishing a separate department for the Serjeant-at-Arms, reorganising Hansard, and threatening to dismiss senior officials; the turbulent atmosphere of the Chamber being duplicated within the administration of Parliament. On several occasions he acted without the President's knowledge or concurrence in matters that had previously been under joint control. Henry Willis died in Sydney on 23 February 1950.