Name Hugo Emil | ||
Hugo Carl Emil Muecke (8 July 1842 – 6 June 1929) was a businessman and politician in the colony and State of South Australia.
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History
Muecke was born the eldest child of Dr. Carl Muecke (16 July 1815 – ) at Rathenow, near Berlin, and was brought to South Australia by his parents when only seven years of age. They settled at Tanunda, among many other German settlers, where his father became a Lutheran minister, and was later editor of Australische Zeitung, South Australia's major German language newspaper, but returned to Germany in 1869. Young Hugo went to the local school, and at the age of 16 joined the merchants and shipping agents John Newman & Company of Port Adelaide, who were looking for a young man fluent in both English and German. He soon displayed a high degree of business acumen, and at the age of 24 was made a partner, and on the death of John Newman in 1873, Muecke took over the business, and as H. Muecke and Co. it continued to prosper.
He maintained good relations with Adelaide's German community and was appointed vice-consul for Germany in 1877. Five years later he was made Imperial German Consul, retaining that position for 32 years. He was appointed to the Adelaide Jubilee International Exhibition organizing committee as Executive Commissioner for Germany, responsible for liaising with German exhibitors and guests.
He was elected to the Legislative Council for the Central District in 1903, holding that seat for seven years. He was also a prominent member of the Adelaide Chamber of Commerce, and served a term as chairman. He was at different times chairman of the Rosewater and the Walkerville District Councils, and a member of the Port Adelaide Council.
He took an early interest in the Broken Hill mines, and was made a member of the board of directors of Broken Hill Proprietary in 1892, and in 1914 succeeded John Darling as chairman of directors. He was also at different times on the boards of the Adelaide Steamship Company, the Trustee and Agency Company, the Bank of Adelaide, and the National Life Assurance Company. He was a prominent Freemason and before the war was an active member of the German Club and the Adelaide Club.
He died after a long illness and was buried at the North-road Cemetery.
Family
Muecke married Margaret Le Page (died 1 November 1918) originally from Guernsey, Channel Islands on 2 April 1863. They had a homes at "The Myrtles", Hawkers Road Medindie, then Fitzroy Terrace, Prospect. Their children were: