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William Lodewyk Crowther FRCS, (15 April 1817 – 12 April 1885) was an Australian politician, premier of Tasmania 20 December 1878 to 29 October 1879.

Crowther was born in Haarlem, Netherlands, elder child of Dr. William Crowther^[1] who was later a long-time resident surgeon of Hobart.^[2]. The Crowthers moved to Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) in 1824. Crowther was educated at a private school at Richard B. Claiborne's Grammar School in Longford, Tasmania and then went to St Thomas' Hospital, England to study medicine. In 1842 he returned to Tasmania and practised at Hobart.

Crowther was elected a member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly in October 1866, but resigned his seat in December 1866. In March 1869 he was elected to the Tasmanian Legislative Council as a representative of Hobart and held this seat until his death. He was a constant attendant and an able speaker. In July 1876 he joined the Thomas Reibey cabinet as a minister without portfolio, and on 20 December 1878 became premier. The state of the political parties at that time made it practically impossible to do anything constructive. Crowther resigned on 29 October 1879.^[2] He was a member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council for Hobart from 22 March 1869 until his death.

Crowther died in Hobart on 12 April 1885. He married Victoria Marie Louise, daughter of General Muller, who survived him with eight children. One of his sons, Dr Edward. L. Crowther, was a member of the Tasmanian parliament 1878–1912.

A statue of W. L. Crowther is erected in Franklin Square, Hobart. The inscription reads: "Erected By a grateful public, And sincere personal friends, To perpetuate the memory of long and Zealous political and professional service In this colony By William Lodewyk Crowther F. R. S. C. England"

The W.L. Crowther Library was named in his memory, and presented to the State Library of Tasmania, by his grandson Sir William Crowther (1887-1981).

• Parliamentary Library profile

1. ^ W. E. L. H. Crowther (1969). Crowther, William Lodewyk (1817 - 1885). Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 3 pp 501-503. MUP. Retrieved on 2007-09-01.
2. ^ ^{a b} Percival Serle (1949). Crowther, William Lodewyk. Dictionary of Australian Biography. Angus & Robertson. Retrieved on 2007-09-01.

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