Wrixon was born in Dublin, Ireland, the son of Arthur Nicholas Wrixon, later a county court judge in Victoria, Australia, and his wife, Charlotte Matilda (daughter of Captain William Bace who fought under Wellington). Wrixon came to Victoria with his father in 1850, was educated in Portland, Victoria, entered the University of Melbourne in its inaugural year of 1855, and became one of the earliest students to matriculate there. In 1857 he returned to Ireland and entered Trinity College Dublin, graduating with a BA in 1861; the same year was called to the Irish Bar.
Careeredit
Wrixon returned to Victoria in 1863 and practised with success as a barrister. After an unsuccessful attempt in 1864, Wrixon was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Belfast on 20 February 1868. In April 1870 Wrixon became Solicitor-General in the third McCulloch ministry,[1] holding this position until the ministry resigned in June 1871.[2] He was not a candidate at the 1877 election and soon afterwards went for a prolonged tour in Europe. Returning to Victoria he was elected for Portland in 1880, and held this seat for 14 years. He made a most effective speech on the reform bill brought in by James Service in 1880, but during the following stormy years there was little opportunity for a man of Wrixon's moderate views to become prominent. In February 1886, however, when the Gillies ministry was formed, he was given the portfolio of Attorney-General and showed great ability in piloting bills through the house.
Wrixon showed sincerity, tactfulness, good judgment and persuasiveness in dealing with opposition, and was always ready to accept amendments which would improve bills. In 1890 Wrixon went to London to represent the Victorian government in the Ah Toy case, which turned on the power of the colonies to refuse to admit aliens. He had argued the case before the Victorian full court when five judges decided against the government, with Higinbotham and Kerford dissenting. Wrixon succeeded in getting the judgment reversed by the privy council. In 1890 he became a Q.C., and in November of that year resigned with his colleagues in the Gillies government. In 1891 he was one of the Victorian representatives at the federal convention held at Sydney. There his speech on the Commonwealth bill was "specially remarkable for the almost prophetic insight into the modifications that would be necessary before the bill could be wholly acceptable" (Quick and Garran, The Annotated Constitution of the Australian Commonwealth, p. 136).
In 1892 Wrixon was a candidate for the Victorian speakership, but was defeated by a combination of the supporters of the opposing candidates, and Thomas Bent was elected. Two years later he resigned his seat in the assembly and in 1896 was elected a member of the legislative council for South Western Province. At the election of Victorian representatives for the 1897 federal convention he was not on the Age ticket, and just failed to be elected, being eleventh on the poll. He was elected President of the Victorian Legislative Council in 1901 and held the position until his retirement in 1910. Wrixon died at Melbourne on 9 April 1913.
Legacyedit
Wrixon married Charlotte, daughter of the Hon Henry Miller, and wealthy widow of M. W. Anderson on 17 December 1872, who survived him with two sons and a daughter. He was created K.C.M.G. in 1892. Wrixon was the author of Socialism being Notes on a Political Tour (1896), Jacob Shumate; or the People's March, a political novel (1903), (largely rewritten and issued as Edward Fairlie Frankfort; or Politics among the People, in 1912), The Pattern Nation, a dispassionate review of the trend towards socialism, but written from a conservative aspect (1906), The Religion of the Common Man (1909).
Wrixon was vice-chancellor of the University of Melbourne from 1897 to 1910, was appointed a trustee of the public library, museums and national gallery in 1902, and was elected vice-president of the trustees in 1905.
Referencesedit
^"Appointment Solicitor-General Henry Wrixon MLA". Victoria Government Gazette. Victorian Government Printer. 9 April 1870. p. 1870:599.
^. Re-Member: a database of all Victorian MPs since 1851. Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
Category;People from the Colony of New South Wales
April 11, 2024
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This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations February 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message Sir Henry John Wrixon KCMG QC 18 October 1839 9 April 1913 was an Australian barrister and politician The HonourableSir Henry WrixonKCMG QC17th Attorney General of VictoriaIn office 18 February 1886 4 November 1890PremierDuncan GilliesPreceded byGeorge KerferdSucceeded byWilliam ShielsPersonal detailsBornHenry John Wrixon 1839 10 18 18 October 1839Dublin Ireland UKDied9 April 1915 1915 04 09 aged 75 Kew Victoria AustraliaSpouseCharlotte AndersonResidence s Raheen Kew VictoriaAlma materTrinity College DublinProfessionBarrister Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Legacy 4 ReferencesEarly life editWrixon was born in Dublin Ireland the son of Arthur Nicholas Wrixon later a county court judge in Victoria Australia and his wife Charlotte Matilda daughter of Captain William Bace who fought under Wellington Wrixon came to Victoria with his father in 1850 was educated in Portland Victoria entered the University of Melbourne in its inaugural year of 1855 and became one of the earliest students to matriculate there In 1857 he returned to Ireland and entered Trinity College Dublin graduating with a BA in 1861 the same year was called to the Irish Bar Career editWrixon returned to Victoria in 1863 and practised with success as a barrister After an unsuccessful attempt in 1864 Wrixon was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Belfast on 20 February 1868 In April 1870 Wrixon became Solicitor General in the third McCulloch ministry 1 holding this position until the ministry resigned in June 1871 2 He was not a candidate at the 1877 election and soon afterwards went for a prolonged tour in Europe Returning to Victoria he was elected for Portland in 1880 and held this seat for 14 years He made a most effective speech on the reform bill brought in by James Service in 1880 but during the following stormy years there was little opportunity for a man of Wrixon s moderate views to become prominent In February 1886 however when the Gillies ministry was formed he was given the portfolio of Attorney General and showed great ability in piloting bills through the house Wrixon showed sincerity tactfulness good judgment and persuasiveness in dealing with opposition and was always ready to accept amendments which would improve bills In 1890 Wrixon went to London to represent the Victorian government in the Ah Toy case which turned on the power of the colonies to refuse to admit aliens He had argued the case before the Victorian full court when five judges decided against the government with Higinbotham and Kerford dissenting Wrixon succeeded in getting the judgment reversed by the privy council In 1890 he became a Q C and in November of that year resigned with his colleagues in the Gillies government In 1891 he was one of the Victorian representatives at the federal convention held at Sydney There his speech on the Commonwealth bill was specially remarkable for the almost prophetic insight into the modifications that would be necessary before the bill could be wholly acceptable Quick and Garran The Annotated Constitution of the Australian Commonwealth p 136 In 1892 Wrixon was a candidate for the Victorian speakership but was defeated by a combination of the supporters of the opposing candidates and Thomas Bent was elected Two years later he resigned his seat in the assembly and in 1896 was elected a member of the legislative council for South Western Province At the election of Victorian representatives for the 1897 federal convention he was not on the Age ticket and just failed to be elected being eleventh on the poll He was elected President of the Victorian Legislative Council in 1901 and held the position until his retirement in 1910 Wrixon died at Melbourne on 9 April 1913 Legacy editWrixon married Charlotte daughter of the Hon Henry Miller and wealthy widow of M W Anderson on 17 December 1872 who survived him with two sons and a daughter He was created K C M G in 1892 Wrixon was the author of Socialism being Notes on a Political Tour 1896 Jacob Shumate or the People s March a political novel 1903 largely rewritten and issued as Edward Fairlie Frankfort or Politics among the People in 1912 The Pattern Nation a dispassionate review of the trend towards socialism but written from a conservative aspect 1906 The Religion of the Common Man 1909 Wrixon was vice chancellor of the University of Melbourne from 1897 to 1910 was appointed a trustee of the public library museums and national gallery in 1902 and was elected vice president of the trustees in 1905 References edit Appointment Solicitor General Henry Wrixon MLA Victoria Government Gazette Victorian Government Printer 9 April 1870 p 1870 599 Sir Henry John Wrixon Re Member a database of all Victorian MPs since 1851 Parliament of Victoria Archived from the original on 23 April 2023 Retrieved 15 February 2019 Eastwood Jill 1976 Wrixon Sir Henry John 1839 1913 Australian Dictionary of Biography Vol 6 National Centre of Biography Australian National University pp 445 446 ISSN 1833 7538 Retrieved 14 October 2009 Serle Percival 1949 Wrixon Henry John Dictionary of Australian Biography Sydney Angus amp Robertson Victorian Legislative AssemblyPreceded byGordon Evans Member for Belfast1868 1877 Succeeded bySir John O ShanassyPreceded byThomas Cope Member for Portland1880 1894 Succeeded byDonald Norman McLeodVictorian Legislative CouncilPreceded byJoseph Grey Member for South Western Province1896 1910 With Joseph Connor 1896 1899Thomas Harwood 1899 1910Sidney Austin 1896 1904 Succeeded byAustin AustinPolitical officesPreceded byCole Aspinall Solicitor General of VictoriaApril 1870 June 1871 Succeeded byHoward SpensleyPreceded byGeorge Kerferd Attorney General of Victoria1886 1890 Succeeded byWilliam ShielsPreceded bySir William Zeal President of the Victorian Legislative Council1901 1910 Succeeded byJohn Mark DaviesAcademic officesPreceded bySir John Madden Vice Chancellor of the University of Melbourne1897 1910 Succeeded bySir John MacFarland Category People from the Colony of New South Wales Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Henry Wrixon amp oldid 1212024835, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
