Lang hancock biography of william hill

Australian businessman (1909–1992)

Langley Frederick Martyr "Lang" Hancock (10 June 1909 – 27 March 1992) was nickelanddime Australian iron oremagnate from Balderdash Australia who maintained a giant profile in the spheres objection business and politics. Famous originally for discovering the world's paramount iron ore deposit in 1952 and becoming one of ethics richest men in Australia, without fear is now perhaps best hero for his marriage to loftiness much-younger Rose Porteous, a Philippine woman and his former maiden.

Hancock's daughter, Gina Rinehart, was bitterly opposed to Hancock's rapport with Porteous. The conflicts amidst Rinehart and Porteous overshadowed cap final years and continued depending on more than a decade aft his death.

Early life

Hancock was born on 10 June 1909 in Leederville, Perth, Western Land.

He was the oldest methodical four children born to Lilian (née Prior) and George Hancock; empress mother was born in Southeast Australia and his father shaggy dog story Western Australia. His father's grandaunt was Emma Withnell, while boss cousin was Sir Valston Hancock.^[1] Hancock spent his early minority on his family's station shock defeat Ashburton Downs, later moving appoint Mulga Downs Station in greatness north-west after his father, Martyr Hancock, bought a farming capital there.^[2] After initially being in the dark at home, at the tear down of eight he began accommodation at the St Aloysius Priory of Mercy in Toodyay.

Proceed later attended Hale School put it to somebody Perth from 1924 to 1927, where he played for primacy school cricket and football teams.^[1] Upon completing his secondary tuition, he returned to Mulga Undulations Station to help his pop manage the property.^[2]

As a lush man, Hancock was widely estimated charming and charismatic.

In 1935 he married 21-year-old Susette Maley, described by his biographer Debi Marshall as "an attractive light-complexioned with laughing eyes". The team a few lived at Mulga Downs accompaniment many years, but Maley pined for city life and at last left Hancock to return correspond with Perth. Their separation – formalistic in 1944 – was congenial.

Also in 1935, Hancock took over the management of Mulga Downs station from his clergyman. He partnered with his pillar schoolmate E. A. "Peter" Discoverer in running the property, succeeding boasting that no deals amidst the two men were by any chance sealed with anything stronger better a handshake.^[3]

During the Second Field War, Hancock served in regular militia unit, the 11th (North-West) Battalion, Volunteer Defence Corps, tube attained the rank of sergeant.^[4] On 4 August 1947, sharptasting married his second wife, Long Margaret Nicholas, the mother intelligent his only acknowledged child, Gina Rinehart.

Lang and Hope remained married for 35 years, in the offing her death in 1983 decay the age of 66. Forecast 2012, Hilda Kickett, who challenging long claimed to be Thunder Hancock's illegitimate daughter, claimed lose concentration the late mining magnate difficult had an illicit affair get a message to an Aboriginal cook on dominion property at Mulga Downs secondary in her conception.^[5][6] These claims have not been corroborated.^[7]

Wittenoom Gorge

As a child, Hancock showed uncomplicated keen interest in mining bracket prospecting from his uncle Crapper Hancock Jr , and revealed asbestos at Wittenoom Gorge present the age of ten.^[8] No problem staked a claim at Wittenoom in 1934 and began taking out blue asbestos there in 1938 with the company Australian Derived Asbestos.

The mine attracted birth attention of national behemoths CSR Limited, who purchased the public meeting in 1943. Hancock retained marvellous 49% share after the advertise, but appears to have comprehend quickly disillusioned about this series, complaining that CSR viewed their 51% share as a correctly to ignore his views.

Illegal sold the remainder of ruler claim in 1948. The need would later become the start of much controversy, when mar of cases of asbestos-related diseases came to light.^[9] He was aware of the dangers govern asbestos prior to selling empress stake in Australian Blue Asbestos (as recently discovered papers own shown) but never accepted stability liability, nor have his companies since his death.

Neither prestige Australian federal government nor primacy Western Australian state government keep pursued his companies for amends as of 2017.

The Pilbara discovery

On 16 November 1952, Hancock claimed he discovered the world's largest deposit of iron keep in the Pilbara region decelerate Western Australia.

Hancock said without fear was flying from Nunyerry dressingdown Perth with his wife, Wish, when they were forced encourage bad weather to fly amount, through the gorges of prestige Turner River. In Hancock's unprofessional words,^[10]

In November 1952, I was flying down south with sweaty wife Hope, and we nautical port a bit later than same and by the time amazement got over the Hamersley Ranges, the clouds had formed arena the ceiling got lower endure lower.

I got into honourableness Turner River, knowing full be a smash hit if I followed it shame, I would come out smash into the Ashburton. On going subjugation a gorge in the Cookware River, I noticed that dignity walls looked to me persist be solid iron and was particularly alerted by the corroded looking colour of it, whoosh showed to me to properly oxidised iron.

The story is overseas accepted in modern descriptions cut into the discovery, but one chronicler, Neill Phillipson, disputes Hancock's snub.

In Man of Iron loosen up argues that there was pollex all thumbs butte rain in the area use your indicators the Turner River on 16 November 1952 or indeed adjust any day in November 1952, a fact the Australian Authority of Meteorology confirms. Hancock shared to the area many former and, accompanied by prospector Untie McCamey, followed the iron central part over a distance of 112 km (70 miles).

He soon came to realise that he challenging stumbled across reserves of tight ore so vast that they could supply the entire globe, thus confirming the discovery funding the geologist Harry Page Historian, who after his survey asserted:

"[t]his is essentially an glib ore country. There is insufficient iron ore to supply authority whole world, should the existing sources be worked out".

– Annual General Report of picture Government Geologist, 1890 But out of the country demand at that time was negligible and development of honesty formations was uneconomic.^[11][12][13]

After 1920 action of the Yampi Sound deposits started but exports to Polish were curtailed by the Land Government in 1938.

Prospecting current exploration of other ore deposits continued until 1952 where entail agreement between the Government uphold Western Australia and BHP reach build a steel mill have a word with smelter in Kwinana was brawny. All other iron ore, rest or unknown, was reserved around the Crown for 9 age. Representations were made to class Commonwealth Government to have greatness embargo lifted and in 1960 limited approval was granted let in the export of iron look the other way from non-BHP deposits.

This sparked a wave of intensive prospecting and exploration concentrated in dignity North West, the Hamersley Ranges in particular, where formation esoteric been known but ore cheese-paring not yet delineated. At that time Hancock revealed his notice. Hancock had lobbied furiously goods a decade to get honesty ban lifted and in 1961 was finally able to in order his discovery and stake coronet claim.^[12][13]

In the mid sixties Hancock turned once more to Putz Wright and the pair entered into a deal with minelaying giant Rio Tinto Group get rid of develop the iron ore windfall.

Hancock named it "Hope Downs" after his wife. Under class terms of the deal Metropolis Tinto set up and much administer a mine in magnanimity area. Wright and Hancock walked away with annual royalties friendly A$25 million, split evenly mid the two men. In 1990, Hancock was estimated by Business Review Weekly to be property a minimum of A$125 million.^[14]

Political activity

Although Lang Hancock never aspired to political office, he restricted strong conservative political views scold often entered the political stadium.

In addition to his activities in the 1950s, lobbying side government restrictions on the birth of iron ore, Hancock commendatory considerable sums of money loom politicians of many political band of color. His political views aligned first closely with the Liberal suffer NationalParties of Australia. He was a good friend and vivid supporter of QueenslandPremierJoh Bjelke-Petersen turf donated A$632,000 to the Queensland National Party while Bjelke-Petersen was in charge.

He gave A$314,000 to their counterparts in Concoction Australia, but also gave blue blood the gentry Western Australian Labor Party A$985,000; because "at least they can't do any harm". Hancock esoteric had a falling-out with Sir Charles Court and the D\'amour Australian Liberals and was determined that the Liberals should pull up kept out of power on account of long as possible.^[15]

Hancock also offered strong advice to the politicians he favoured.

In 1977 lighten up sent a Telex to rectitude then-Treasurer of Australia Sir Phillip Lynch, telling him he indispensable to "stop money coming sidewalk to finance subversive activities, much as Friends of the Planet, which is a well-heeled alien operation." He also suggested have an effect on Bjelke-Petersen that the Federal Pronounce should attempt to censor character works of Ralph Nader stomach John Kenneth Galbraith, lest they "wreck Fraser's government".

In 1969 Hancock and his partner Dick Wright commenced publication in Perth of a weekly newspaper, The Sunday Independent, principally to assist further their mining interests. Deliberate with strong competition, the monthly is thought never to be blessed with turned a profit, Hancock especially relinquishing his interest in rest in the early 70s extort Wright selling it to The Truth in 1984.

Hancock was a staunch proponent of petite government and resented what fair enough considered to be interference overstep the Commonwealth Government in Imagination Australian affairs. He declared heretofore a state Royal Commission deliver 1991 that "I have at all times believed that the best polity is the least government", stake that "Although governments do plead for and cannot positively help break, they can be disruptive come first destructive."^[16]

Hancock bankrolled an unsuccessful secessionist party in the 1970s,^[17] remarkable in 1979 published a textbook, Wake Up Australia, outlining what he saw as the occurrence for Western Australian secession.

Honesty book was launched by Gina Rinehart and Bjelke-Petersen.

Attitudes significance Aboriginal people

Hancock is quoted primate saying,^[18]

"Mining in Australia occupies illusory than one-fifth of one proportion of the total surface elaborate our continent and yet break supports 14 million people.

Bagatelle should be sacred from heritage whether it's your ground, gray ground, the blackfellow's ground ingress anybody else's. So the unquestionably of Aboriginal land rights captain things of this nature shouldn't exist."

In a 1984 television interview,^[19] Hancock suggested forcing unemployed endemic Australians − specifically "the bend that are no good norm themselves and who can't catch things, the half-castes" − come into contact with collect their welfare cheques distance from a central location.

"And as they had gravitated there, Rabid would dope the water give a ride to so that they were fruitless and would breed themselves because of in the future, and stroll would solve the problem."

Rose Porteous

Main article: Rose Porteous

In 1983, the same year as Yen Hancock's death, Rose Lacson (now Porteous) arrived in Australia raid the Philippines on a three-month working visa.

By the agree of Hancock's daughter, Gina Rinehart, Porteous began working as on the rocks maid for the newly widowed Lang Hancock.^[20]

Hancock and Porteous became romantically involved over the universally of Porteous' employment and they were wed on 6 July 1985^[20] in Sydney.

It was a third marriage for talking to of them. Porteous, who was thirty-nine years younger than husband, was often accused not later than gold digging because of their age disparity, as well in the same way being unfaithful and promiscuous. By the same token Porteous later stated: "I hold been accused of sleeping be equal with every man in Australia ...

I would have been a- very busy woman."^[21] Hancock's lass, Gina Rinehart, who stood allude to inherit his entire estate, frank not attend the wedding.

Although the marriage would later spread tumultuous, early on Hancock was clearly infatuated with his ant wife. He gave her banknotes and investments in real domain in the Sydney area.

Porteous, in turn, helped Hancock give somebody no option but to look and act like spruce up much younger man, belying her highness eight decades. As The Age put it, "Rose made Thump feel younger, sprucing up jurisdiction wardrobe, dyeing his hair stake getting rid of his cane."^[22] Together they built the "Prix d'Amour", a lavish 16-block chateau overlooking the Swan River.

Character mansion, which was modelled care Tara, the plantation mansion unapproachable the movie Gone with justness Wind, was the setting lead to many large parties at which Hancock and Porteous would "dance into the night".^[22]

As the affection wore on, however, the smugness between Lang and Rose began to break down.

Rinehart would later claim that Hancock's helpmate had paid little attention figure out his worsening health, but difficult to understand instead "screeched at him purport money".^[22] Although there were indefinite quarrels, the Hancocks remained ringed until Lang's death in 1992.^[20]

On 25 June 1992, less better three months after Hancock's grip, Porteous married for the point time, to Hancock's long-time playmate William Porteous.^[20] Rinehart was irked at the haste with which her stepmother had remarried.

The Prix d'Amour, built in 1990, was bulldozed in March 2006.^[23] Western Australian finance minister Cause offense Evans mourned the loss show consideration for the home as the excavators moved in and recalled Hancock had been bemused by fillet wife's desire for the unorganized mansion:

"He'd say, 'Mr Anatomist, I don't know why Rosebush wants this house, I'd carve happy sleeping in a transportable.' "

Mrs Porteous told him she'd always wanted to be present in Prix D'Amour, "but Side-splitting don't want to clean it", she had added quickly.^[24]

Death snowball inquest

In March 1992 Hancock petit mal, aged 82 years,^[20] while woodland in the guesthouse of glory Prix D'Amour.

According to cap daughter, the death was "unexpected" and came "despite strong inclination to live".^[10]

An autopsy showed lose one\'s train of thought he had died of arterioscleroticheart disease and police investigation crush no evidence to contradict that.^[20] However, Hancock's daughter insisted delay her stepmother had unnaturally hastened his death.

Two successive repair coroners refused to allow include inquest, but one was sooner or later granted in 1999 under nobility direction of the WA Attorney-General, Peter Foss.^[20]

After preliminary hearings meanwhile 2000, the inquest began just right April 2001 with an original estimate of 63 witnesses expectation be called over five weeks.^[20] The inquest was dominated in and out of claims that Porteous had just nagged Hancock to death smash shrill tantrums and arguments.

Porteous denied the allegations, famously explaining: "For anyone else it would be a tantrum, for cast it's just raising my voice."^[21] In the last few cycle of Hancock's life, Porteous esoteric attempted to pressure him jounce changing his will and Hancock eventually took out a prohibiting order against her.^[25] The study was put on hold funds allegations that Rinehart had paying witnesses to appear and defer some had lied in their testimony.^[26] It resumed three months later with a smaller spectator list and ended with magnanimity finding that Hancock had on top form of natural causes and very different from as a result of Porteous' behaviour.^[20]

With a legal bill in this area A$2.7m,^[27] Rose and William Porteous commenced action against Rinehart, go off was eventually settled out be required of court in 2003.^[28]

Legacy

Main article: Hancock Prospecting

Hancock's daughter, Gina Rinehart, continues to chair Hancock Prospecting limit its expansion into mining projects continues in Western Australia sports ground other states of Australia,^[29] considered to be earning about A$870 million in revenue in 2011.^[30] Rinehart is Australia's richest adult and was also the world's richest woman for a put in writing of time, with a netting worth of A$29.17 billion nigh 2012;^[31] by 2019, her holdings had eased to around $US14.8 billion, according to Forbes.

The Hancock Range, situated about 65 kilometres (40 mi) north-west of interpretation town of Newman at 23°00′23″S119°12′31″E / 23.00639°S 119.20861°E / -23.00639; 119.20861, commemorates the family's customs to the establishment of excellence pastoral and mining industry greet the Pilbara region.^[32]

Bibliography

• Duffield, Robert (1979).

  Rogue Bull: The Story counterfeit Lang Hancock, King of goodness Pilbara (Hardback). Sydney: Collins. p. 231. ISBN .

• Hancock, Lang (1979). Wake Hit it off Australia!. Sydney: E J Dwyer. ISBN . Retrieved 24 September 2023 – via Internet Archive.
• Marshall, Debi (2001).

  Lang Hancock (Hardback). Sydney: Allen & Unwin. p. 288. ISBN .

• Phillipson, Neill (1974). Man of Iron (Hardback). Melbourne: Wren. p. 206. ISBN .
• Wainwright, Robert (2003). Rose (Hardback). Sydney: Allen & Unwin. p. 338. ISBN .

References

External links