Charles Sladen
A colonial banker turned political leader who steered Victoria through a brief but turbulent period after the Eureka Stockade.
1816–1884 (age 68)·Australian politician·Birthday: August 28
Biography
Charles Sladen’s political career was short, intense, and born of crisis. A successful banker in Geelong, he entered the Victorian Legislative Council as a conservative voice, valuing stability and British constitutional order. His moment arrived in 1857, following the resignation of the government and in the still-volatile aftermath of the Eureka Rebellion. As Premier, his task was largely caretaker—to maintain administration until new elections. Lasting just a month, his ministry is one of the shortest in Australian history. Though his time in the top office was fleeting, Sladen remained a significant figure in Victoria’s financial development, serving as Treasurer and later as the first Chairman of Directors of the National Bank of Australasia. His story is that of the establishment figure called upon to steady the ship during a formative decade for the colony.
#1 When Charles Was Born
The biggest hits of 1816
Charles's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1816Born
1821Started school
1829Became a teenager
1832Could drive
1834Could vote
1837Turned 21
1846Turned 30
1856Turned 40
1866Turned 50
President: Andrew Johnson
1876Turned 60
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1884Died at 68
President: Chester A. Arthur
Key Achievements
- Served as the 6th Premier of Victoria for one month in 1857, leading a caretaker government.
- Held the position of Treasurer of Victoria on multiple occasions in the 1850s and 1860s.
- Was the first Chairman of Directors of the National Bank of Australasia, a major financial institution.
Did You Know?
His premiership, from May 10 to June 10, 1857, is among the shortest in Australian political history.
He was knighted in 1860 for his public service.
Sladen was a strong opponent of the democratic reforms advocated by the Chartists and Eureka rebels.
A collection of his papers is held at the State Library of Victoria.
“null”
