James Drake

James George Drake (26 April 1850 – 1 August 1941), often cited as J. G. Drake, was an Australian politician. After a number of years in Queensland colonial politics, he was elected to the Senate at the first federal election in 1901. He subsequently held ministerial office under prime ministers Edmund Barton, Alfred Deakin, and George Reid, serving as Postmaster-General (1901–1903), Minister for Defence (1903), Attorney-General (1903–1904), and Vice-President of the Executive Council (1904–1905). Early life Drake was born on 26 April 1850 in London, England. He was the son of Ann (née Hyde) and Edward Drake, his father being a publican. He was educated at King's College School and then worked for merchant firms for several years. Drake left London in October 1873 and arrived in Brisbane in January 1874. He sought work unsuccessfully in the tin mines at Stanthorpe before finding employment as a store clerk in Toowoomba, later returning to Brisbane. He also spent some time as a jackaroo in western Queensland. Journalism and legal career In 1875, Drake began working as a journalist with the Bundaberg Star. He subsequently moved to the Daily Northern Argus (Rockhampton) and then returned to Brisbane to work on the Telegraph and Courier (as leader writer). For a brief period he moved to Melbourne and worked as a parliamentary reporter for the Argus. Upon his return to Queensland he joined the staff of Hansard, making use of his shorthand skills in transcribing debates in the colonial parliament; he was president of the Queensland Shorthand Writers' Association.