The Dictionary of Australasian Biography/Venn, Hon. Harry Whittall
Venn, Hon. Harry Whittall, M.L.A, Minister of Public Works, Western Australia, was born in South Australia on Oct. 27th, 1844, and after being engaged in commercial pursuits at Robe in that colony, became connected with the Denison Plains Pastoral Association in Western Australia in 1864. After doing much valuable exploring work in the north of Western Australia, Mr. Venn purchased a large estate at Bunbury, and represented Wellington in the old Legislative Council down to its dissolution. In Dec. 1890 he was appointed Minister of Public Works in the Government formed by Mr. Forrest after the concession of responsible government, and was elected to the newly constituted Legislative Assembly for Wellington. Mr. Venn, who took a prominent part in the agitation for responsible government, and was chairman of the Commission on Agriculture in 1887, married a daughter of the late George Shenton and sister of Hon. George Shenton, M.L.C.