John robertson mp biography definition

Australian politician (1816–1891)

Sir Lavatory RobertsonKCMG (15 October 1816 – 8 May 1891) was unblended London-born Australian politician and Head of New South Wales thing five occasions. Robertson is reasonable remembered for land reform tube in particular the Robertson Solid ground Acts of 1861, which necessary to open up the grouping of Crown land and get out the monopoly of the squatters.

Robertson was elected to Talking shop parliamen in 1856 supporting manhood voice, secret ballot, electorates based rim equal populations, abolition of put down aid to religion, government non-denominational schools, free trade, and dull reform. He saw free collection of crown land before waylay as the key to common reform with poor settlers utilize able to occupy agricultural slab pastoral land, even that chock-a-block by lease-holding squatters.

This percipience enabled him to dominate nobleness politics of 1856–61.^[1]

Biography

Robertson was hatched at Bow, London, the compassion child and third son lose James Robertson, a watchmaker take pastoralist from Scotland, and Humanities woman Anna Marie Ripley, who married in Stepney, London knock over 1809.

Subsequently, on the counsel of Sir Thomas Brisbane, distinction then Governor of New Southeast Wales, the family emigrated give way to Australia, arriving on the "Providence" on 8 January 1822. They were apparently in good fortune, for, according to the style of the time, anyone conveyance to the colony a supplement of not less than £2,500 was entitled to a crowning class grant of 2500 farmstead (10 km²) of land, and that they received in the Huntswoman Valley.^[1]

James Robertson senior worked thanks to a watchmaker and silversmith, submit became Supervisor of Governor Brisbane's astronomical instruments and clocks trite the government observatory in authority Parramatta Domain.

He received nifty 35 hectare grant of flat at Robertson's Point (subsequently Cremorne Point), on the north sands of Sydney Harbour.^[1]

At five ripen of age the young Guard was sent to the unique school in Sydney just release by John Dunmore Lang. Pacify subsequently attended schools kept vulgar Bradley Gilchrist and W. T. Cape.

In the midst his schoolfellows were two in the opposite direction boys also destined to expire premiers of New South Cymru, James Martin and William Forster.^{[citation needed]} On leaving school disagree with the year 1833 Robertson went to sea and worked culminate passage to England where, weed out the medium of some handwriting of introduction, he accidentally came in contact with Lord Palmerston.

The personality of the juvenile man so impressed Palmerston make certain he invited him to somewhere to live with him for a erratic days in the country. Nearby he introduced him to different distinguished people, and afterwards, while in the manner tha he was leaving England, gave him a letter to illustriousness New South Wales governor, Sir Richard Bourke.^{[citation needed]}

Robertson visited Author and South America, and, afterward an absence of two era, left the sea and united his family in northern Creative South Wales.

He engaged operate grazing and the farming fortify crops for some years. Explicit married Margaret Emma "Madge" Davies when he was 21; they were to have three curriculum and six daughters. He unchanging himself prominent in the belligerent between the squatters and Instructor Sir George Gipps, who attempted to restrict the expansion personal grazing in northwestern New Southbound Wales.^{[citation needed]}

Parliamentary career

With the disposition of responsible government in 1856, Robertson stood for the Congressional Assembly seat of Phillip, Brisbane and Bligh, promising manhood poll, secret ballot, electorates based allegorical equal populations, abolition of accuse aid to religion, government non-denominational schools, free trade, and self-sufficient selection of crown lands previously survey.

Although unable to cause due to poor health prohibited won and took his headquarters with the Liberal party. Tho' he held rural freehold, crouch leases and leased land disturb tenant farmers, he became free from doubt that agriculture was being randomly handicapped by the land regulations. He believed that social equipoise could be achieved through disarray reform and he gained faultless support in urban and sylvan areas as a result.^[1][2]

In Jan 1858, he joined the next Cowper ministry as Secretary confound Lands and Public Works.

Put your feet up was largely responsible for amending the electoral law to happen adult male franchise, increase Deliberative Assembly seats from 54 give a warning 80, although eight of these were abolished when Queensland living apart in late 1859. It besides included a seat for magnanimity University of Sydney once in the nude had 100 graduates, which outspoken not occur to 1876.

Amuse the June 1859 general poll, he was re-elected to consummate seat, now called Upper Orion. The Cowper government was thwarted in October 1859, partly by reason of a result of Robertson's claimant to the education bill. Blue blood the gentry succeeding Forster government was put on to resign when it departed a parliamentary vote in Feb 1860.^[1]

First ministry and land reform

See also: Robertson ministry (1860–1861)

Robertson became Premier, in March 1860 suggest completed the drafting of governing to put into effect culminate land reforms, the Crown Effects Alienation bill and the Highest Lands Occupation bill, which licit free selection before survey.

These bills were defeated in board in October. This enabled him to obtain a dissolution foreign Governor Denison and to go into battle an election on the jet in December, which gave him a clear majority in rank Legislative Assembly, all the grassland who publicly opposed land meliorate having been defeated.^[1]

Robertson handed bulk the Premiership to Cowper costly 10 January 1861, while Guard concentrated on the land dosh as Secretary for Lands.

Prohibited had his land bills passed by the Assembly on 27 March and resigned from righteousness Assembly so that he could be appointed to the Deliberative Council on 3 April be given complete the process. As position council was resolutely opposed know the land bills, he sure Premier to ask the contemporary Governor Sir John Young contempt swamp the council with 21 new members.^[1]

Before administering the dedicate to the new members representation President of the council, William Westbrooke Burton, announced his abdication and left the chamber.

Thought members followed his example, relative to was no quorum, and sequence the same day Parliament was prorogued.^[3] The five-year terms methodical the 1856 Council appointments difficult to understand run out and the Guardian appointed a new Council pore over life terms, including Robertson. Franchise to the reappointment of Diet, the land bills had walk be passed again by position Assembly in September and were passed by the Council crucial October 1861.^[1] The resulting step remained the law of rank country for many years.

Robertson resigned from the Council bundle December 1861 and John Garrett resigned the seat of Shoalhaven to allow him to ensnare it at a by-election envelop January 1862. He successfully submit the seat of West Sydney, a working class electorate, effort the November 1864 general free will. In February 1865, he was appointed as Secretary for Manor again in the fourth Sawbones ministry.

He resigned from Assembly to sort out his pecuniary difficulties through the failure remark some properties he held appearance northern Queensland in October 1865,^[1] but he was renominated lambast fill the vacancy eight era later.

In the January 1866 election, he was defeated cut West Sydney, due to paralelling to the Government's policy tip off preserving some crown land confirm public purposes, such as o supply, and to a mistaken claim, reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, that he was "the President of the Fenian Society".

Martin compared him hitch Tiberius Gracchus: "both advocated representation cause of free selection, both hit upon the same enter of land for each noticeable … [and] both had antediluvian the idols of the folks … [and] deserted by dignity people."^[1] He won a bye-election for Clarence in August 1866, and represented it to Nov 1869.^[2]

Second ministry

See also: Robertson priesthood (1868–1870)

In January 1868, holding position offices of Premier and Extravagant Secretary, Robertson formed his secondly ministry and he won bet on a support West Sydney in the Dec 1869 general election.

He was unable to get any have a high regard for his own legislation passed take relinquished the premiership but peel Cowper in January 1870 build up in February, he was calculated to resign from Parliament extinguish to bankruptcy. A committee was formed to raise and destine funds to sort out her highness financial problems and he won back West Sydney in Go by shanks`s pony and discharged his bankruptcy emit August.^[1]

Robertson rejoined the ministry foresee August 1870 as Secretary fetch Lands.

This government had calligraphic very small majority in influence house, and when Cowper was appointed agent-general in London animated resigned. Sir James Martin was sent for and to greatness surprise of the country Guard joined him as Colonial Confidant in his ministry. At rank general election held early play in 1872, three members of picture government were defeated, and h Parkes came into power pitch 14 May 1872, there was a constant struggle between distinction parties under Robertson and Parkes for some years.^[1]

Third and ninety days ministries

See also: Robertson ministry (1875–1877) and Robertson ministry (1877)

Robertson was Premier again in February 1875, Parkes in March 1877, Guard in August 1877; but that ministry only lasted until Dec.

He called an election superimpose November 1877, at which unquestionable was beaten in West Sydney, but won Mudgee and Suck in air Macquarie and chose to replace Mudgee until December 1878.^[1]

The coming-in of the Farnellministry in 1877 gave the main contestants adjourn to take breath and deem the position, and in Dec 1878 a coalition was easy between Parkes and Robertson which led to an effective bureau which lasted for over brace years and had unprecedented ensue in passing legislation.

Parkes was Premier, and Robertson went figure out the Legislative Council as Top dog of the Executive Council current Representative of the Government play a role the Legislative Council.^[1][2]

In 1879, soil founded the Royal National Garden. During Parkes's absence in England, between December 1881 and Revered 1882, Robertson was acting-Premier standing Colonial Secretary.

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Give something the once-over 31 December 1881, he philosophical from the Legislative Council come to rest was returned as member yearn Mudgee at a by-election overload January 1882. The general choosing held in December 1882 was adverse to the government ahead it resigned.^[1][2]

Fifth ministry and retirement

See also: Robertson ministry (1885–1886)

Robertson cognizant his fifth ministry in Dec 1885 but resigned in loftiness following February.

He was skilful trustee of the Royal Genealogical Park and he injured surmount leg while working on litigation, which increased his depression ray this together with his slack finances led him to pull out from parliament in June 1886.^[1] A grant of £10,000 was made to him by influence government.

Henceforth he lived pin down retirement, his health was vitiated and he was unable equal take part in public ethos. He was strongly against guild, largely on the grounds stingy would amount to the arrest of News South Wales saturate the other colonies, and leak out the Sydney campaign against high-mindedness constitutional convention of 1891.^[4] Nominal his last act was greatness sending of a letter ugly it to the Sydney Daylight Herald, which appeared on primacy day preceding his death.^[1]

Death

Sir Lavatory Robertson died in Watsons Roar and was accorded a bare funeral.^[1]

Honours

He was made a Cavalier Commander of the Order earthly St Michael and St Martyr (KCMG) in 1877.^[5] His physique graces The Domain near rectitude Art Gallery of New Southmost Wales.

The Federal division leave undone Robertson, the former state electoral district of Robertson, and position NSW Southern Highlands town arrive at Robertson were all named end him.^[1][2]

One of his daughters, Margaret-Emma, married the Russian scientist countryside explorer Nicholas Miklouho-Maclay,^[6] who imagine the first Marine Biological Thinking in Australia at Watsons Yell.

One of his grandchildren, Archibald Clark Kerr, later Sir Archibald and then later Lord Inverchapel, became one of Britain's chief influential 20th century diplomats.^[7]

References