Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council, 1861–1864
Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council who served from 1861 to 1864 were appointed for life by the Governor on the advice of the Premier. The 1855 Constitution of New South Wales provided that the first council was appointed for a period of 5 years, but that subsequent members would be appointed for life.[1] The previous council had ended in controversy with an attempt was made to swamp the chamber by appointing 21 new members in May 1861, because the council had rejected the Robertson land bills.[2] When the council met and the new members were waiting to be sworn in, the President Sir William Burton stated that he felt he had been treated with discourtesy in the matter, resigned his office of president and his membership, and left the chamber. 19 other members also resigned in protest. In the absence of the President and Chairman of Committees, under the standing orders the council was adjourned.[3] There were no further sitting days before the terms of the members of council had expired.
Of the 38 members prior to the attempted swamping, 12 were re-appointed,[4] including just 4 of the 20 who had resigned in protest.[a] The Robertson Land Acts were passed by the Council on 17 October 1861.[5]
This list includes members between the end of the initial terms on 13 May 1861 and the beginning of the 1864–65 colonial election on 22 November 1864. The President was William Wentworth until 10 October 1862 and then Terence Murray.[11]
| Name | Years in office | Office |
|---|---|---|
| George Allen [b] | 1856–1861, 1861–1877 | Chairman of Committees |
| John Blaxland [o] | 1863–1884 | |
| Edward Butler [d][n] | 1861–1863, 1877–1879 | |
| William Byrnes [b] | 1858–1861, 1861–1891 | |
| Alexander Campbell [s] | 1864–1890 | |
| John Campbell [c] | 1856, 1861–1886 | |
| George Cox [l] | 1863–1901 | |
| Joseph Docker [p] | 1856–1861, 1863–1884 | |
| Robert Fitzgerald [b] | 1856–1861, 1861–1865 | |
| Samuel Gordon [d] | 1861–1882 | |
| John Hargrave [b] | 1859–1861, 1861–1865 | Representative of the Government (9 March 1860 – 15 October 1863) |
| George Holden [b][k] | 1856–1861, 1861–1863 | |
| Thomas Icely [t] | 1864–1874 | |
| Robert Johnson [o] | 1856–1861, 1863–1866 | |
| Charles Kemp [c][r] | 1861–1864 | |
| Edward Lloyd [m] | 1863–1865 | |
| Francis Lord [s] | 1856–1861, 1864–1893 | |
| Sir William Macarthur [t] | 1864–1882 | |
| John MacFarlane [b] | 1858–1861, 1861–1870 | |
| Sir William Manning [c] | 1861–1876, 1888–1895 | |
| Alexander McArthur [c] | 1861–1865 | |
| Francis Merewether [b] | 1856–1861, 1861–1865 | |
| James Mitchell [b] | 1856–1861, 1861–1869 | |
| Sir Terence Murray [j] | 1862–1873 | President (14 October 1862 – 22 June 1873) |
| Edward Ogilvie [o] | 1863–1889 | |
| John Plunkett [f] | 1857–1858, 1861–1869 | Representative of the Government (16 October 1863 – 2 February 1865) |
| John Robertson [b][g] | 1861, 1861, 1878–1881 | Secretary for Lands (9 March 1860 – 15 October 1863) |
| Ralph Robey [b][e][q] | 1858–1861, 1861–1864 | |
| Bourn Russell [b] | 1858–1861, 1861–1880 | |
| William Russell [c] | 1861–1865 | |
| Alexander Scott [h] | 1862–1866 | |
| Edward Deas Thomson [b] | 1856–1861, 1861–1879 | |
| Robert Towns [l] | 1856–1861, 1863–1873 | |
| William Walker [l] | 1863–1867 | |
| Edward Ward [c] | 1861–1865 | |
| John Watt [e] | 1861–1866, 1874–1890 | |
| William Wentworth [c][i] | 1861–1862 | President (24 June 1861 – 10 October 1862) |
See also edit
Notes edit
- ^ The 4 members re-appointed were George Holden, Francis Merewether, James Mitchell and Edward Deas Thomson.[4]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 12 members who served in the first council were re-appointed on 24 June 1861.[4]
- ^ a b c d e f g h 6 members were appointed on 24 June 1861,[4] and took their seats on 3 September 1861.
- ^ a b c Edward Butler and Samuel Gordon were appointed on 2 September 1861,[6] and took their seats on 3 September 1861.
- ^ a b c Ralph Robey and John Watt were appointed on 24 June 1861,[4] and took their seats on 13 September 1861.
- ^ a b John Plunkett was appointed on 24 June 1861,[4] and took his seat on 1 October 1861.
- ^ a b John Robertson resigned on 30 December 1861 after the Robertson Land Acts were passed by the Council and was re-elected to the Legislative Assembly.
- ^ a b Alexander Scott was appointed on,[4] and took his seat on 27 May 1862.
- ^ a b William Wentworth resigned on 10 October 1862 to return to England.
- ^ a b Sir Terence Murray was appointed to the Council as President on 13 October 1862,[7] and took his seat on 14 October 1862.
- ^ a b George Holden resigned on 14 October 1862.
- ^ a b c d 3 members were appointed on 17 June 1863,[8] and took their seats on 23 June 1863.
- ^ a b Edward Lloyd was appointed on 17 June 1863,[8] and took his seat on 1 July 1863.
- ^ a b Edward Butler resigned on 1 July 1863.
- ^ a b c d 3 members were appointed on 24 November 1863,[9] and took their seats on 25 November 1863.
- ^ a b Joseph Docker was appointed on 1 December 1863,[10] and took his seat on 26 December 1863.
- ^ a b Ralph Robey died on 26 December 1863.
- ^ a b Charles Kemp died on 1 April 1864.
- ^ a b c Francis Lord was appointed on 17 October 1864, and took his seat on 18 October 1864.
- ^ a b c Thomas Icely was appointed on 3 June 1864, and took his seat on 26 October 1864.
References edit
- ^ "Section III New South Wales Constitution Act 1855 (UK)". Retrieved 15 September 2021 – via Museum of Australian Democracy.
- ^ Ward, John M. "Cowper, Sir Charles (1807–1875)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "Legislative Council". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 May 1861. p. 5. Retrieved 15 September 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Appointments to the Legislative Council". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 156. 24 June 1861. p. 1382. Retrieved 15 September 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "Legislative Council". The Sydney Morning Herald. 18 October 1861. p. 3. Retrieved 18 September 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "Edward Butler and Samuel Deane Gordon appointed to the Legislative Council". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 208. 3 September 1861. p. 1886. Retrieved 15 September 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "Sir Terence Murray appointed to the Legislative Council". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 181. 14 October 1862. p. 1965. Retrieved 15 September 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ a b "Appointments to the Legislative Council". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 115. 17 June 1863. p. 1351. Retrieved 15 September 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "Appointments to the Legislative Council". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 233. 24 November 1863. p. 2550. Retrieved 15 September 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "Joseph Docker appointed to the Legislative Council". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 238. 1 December 1863. p. 2638. Retrieved 15 September 2021 – via Trove.
- ^ "Part 10 Officers of the Parliament" (PDF). NSW Parliamentary Record. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 26 November 2020.[i]
- ^ The changes to the composition of the council, in chronological order, were: 12 re-appointed,[b] 6 appointed,[c] 2 appointed,[d] 2 appointed,[e] Plunkett appointed,[f] Robertson resigned,[g] Scott appointed,[h] Wentworth resigned,[i] Murray appointed,[j] Holden resigned,[k] 3 appointed,[l] Lloyd appointed,[m] Butler resigned,[n] 3 appointed,[o] Docker appointed,[p] Robey died,[q] Kemp died,[r] Lord appointed,[s] Icely appointed,[t]