James Mckinnon Fowler arrived in the Western Australian goldfields in 1891 and spent time mining and prospecting before becoming a journalist. His political involvement began with his association with the Federal League in Western Australia. He was elected Member of Perth in the first Federal Election in 1901, and retained this seat until his defeat in 1922, first as a Labor Party member, then as a Liberal and later as a Nationalist. He was a member of several Parlamentary committees and inquiries.
Fowler also wrote novels, short stories, newspaper articles and a film synopsis, sometimes using the names Hamish Mackinnon or James Evandale. His novels were not published but some of his short stories were accepted by newspapers, and three non-fiction works were published: 'Statement or mountebank: and Australian war study' (1919); 'Australia's perils, real and imaginary' (1926), and 'False foundations of British history' (1943).
From the description of Papers of James Mackinnon Fowler [manuscript]. 1899-1940. (Libraries Australia). WorldCat record id: 225720684
