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Sir Edmund Barton, first Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia, was born on 18 January 1849, in Sydney, New South Wales. He was educated at Fort Street High School and Sydney Grammar School, where he was twice dux and school captain. He graduated with first class honours in classics from the University of Sydney, where he also demonstrated considerable skill at cricket. In 1879, Barton successfully stood for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the University of Sydney constituency and in 1882 he became Speaker of the assembly. From 1887 to 1891, and again from 1897 to 1898, Barton sat in the Legislative Council.

Barton was a strong advocate of the federation of the Australian colonies, and he led the federal movement following the death of Sir Henry Parkes. In 1897 he was one of the NSW delegates to the Constitutional Convention which developed a constitution for the proposed federation. As the most vigorous federalist in the largest state, Barton was appointed Prime Minister, although this was only after some negotiations with the newly elected Governor-General, Lord Hopetoun, who initially invited Sir William Lyne, the Premier of New South Wales, to form a government.

Barton was Prime Minister from January 1901 to September 1903. He died on 27 January 1920.

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