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Mr William Munnings ARNOLD (1819 - 1875)

Date of Birth: 26/10/1819 Place of Birth: Ellough, Suffolk, England Date of Death: 01/03/1875 Place of Death: Paterson River, New South Wales, Australia

Parliamentary Service

Position Start End Period Parliament Notes Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 7 Apr 1856 1 Mar 1875 18yr(s) 10mth(s) 23day(s) Member for Durham 7 Apr 1856 19 Dec 1857 1yr(s) 8mth(s) 13day(s) 1st (1856 - 1857) Member for Durham 5 Feb 1858 11 Apr 1859 1yr(s) 2mth(s) 7day(s) 2nd (1858 - 1859) Member for Patterson 16 Jun 1859 8 Mar 1860 8mth(s) 22day(s) 3rd (1859 - 1860) Member for Patterson 21 Mar 1860 10 Nov 1860 7mth(s) 21day(s) 3rd (1859 - 1860) Member for Patterson 8 Dec 1860 10 Nov 1864 3yr(s) 11mth(s) 3day(s) 4th (1860 - 1864) Member for Patterson 14 Dec 1864 3 Feb 1865 1mth(s) 21day(s) 5th (1865 - 1869) Member for Patterson 21 Feb 1865 15 Nov 1869 4yr(s) 8mth(s) 26day(s) 5th (1865 - 1869) Member for Patterson 15 Dec 1869 3 Feb 1872 2yr(s) 1mth(s) 20day(s) 6th (1870 - 1872) Member for Patterson 19 Feb 1872 28 Nov 1874 2yr(s) 9mth(s) 10day(s) 7th (1872 - 1874) Member for Patterson 18 Dec 1874 1 Mar 1875 2mth(s) 12day(s) 8th (1875 - 1877) Secretary for Public Works 9 Mar 1860 15 Oct 1863 3yr(s) 7mth(s) 7day(s) Secretary for Public Works 3 Feb 1865 19 Oct 1865 8mth(s) 17day(s) Secretary for Lands 20 Oct 1865 31 Oct 1865 12day(s) Chairman of Committees 25 Mar 1858 11 Apr 1859 1yr(s) 18day(s) Speaker of the Legislative Assembly 1 Nov 1865 1 Mar 1875 9yr(s) 4mth(s) 1day(s) Library Committee No.4 3 Jun 1856 18 Mar 1857 9mths 16days 1st (1856 - 1857) Impounding Laws Committee No. 10 15 Aug 1856 18 Mar 1857 7mths 4days 1st (1856 - 1857) Church and School Lands Committee No.11 19 Aug 1856 18 Mar 1857 6mths 28days 1st (1856 - 1857) Electric Telegraph Committee No.14 31 Oct 1856 18 Mar 1857 4mths 16days 1st (1856 - 1857) Deepening the River Hunter Committee No.16 4 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4mths 15days 1st (1856 - 1857) Richmond Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.18 8 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4mths 11days 1st (1856 - 1857) Liverpool and London Fire and Life Assurance Company’s Bill Committee No.21 18 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4mths 1day 1st (1856 - 1857) Railway Terminus and Wharfs at Newcastle Committee No.25 9 Dec 1856 18 Mar 1857 3mths 10days 1st (1856 - 1857) Alluvial Lands of the Hunter Committee No.27 20 Feb 1857 18 Mar 1857 27days 1st (1856 - 1857) Library Committee 12 Aug 1857 18 Dec 1857 4mths 7days 1st (1856 - 1857) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.5 19 Aug 1857 18 Dec 1857 3mths 30days 1st (1856 - 1857) By Speaker's Warrant Alluvial Lands of the Hunter Committee No.13 30 Oct 1857 18 Dec 1857 1mth 19days 1st (1856 - 1857) Late Shipwrecks, Port Jackson Committee No.11 30 Oct 1857 18 Dec 1857 1mth 19days 1st (1856 - 1857) Chairman Australian Agricultural Company’s Newcastle Railway Bill Committee No.12 30 Oct 1857 18 Dec 1857 1mth 19days 1st (1856 - 1857) Burwood Tramroad Continuation Act Amendment Bill Committee No.14 3 Nov 1857 18 Dec 1857 1mth 16days 1st (1856 - 1857) Secondary Punishment Committee No.8 13 Nov 1857 18 Dec 1857 1mth 6days 1st (1856 - 1857) Standing Order Committee 2 Dec 1857 18 Dec 1857 17days 1st (1856 - 1857) Library Committee No.3 25 Mar 1858 26 Nov 1858 8mths 2days 2nd (1858 - 1859) Standing Orders Committee No.2 25 Mar 1858 26 Nov 1858 8mths 2days 2nd (1858 - 1859) Alluvial Lands of the Hunter Committee No.10 16 Apr 1858 26 Nov 1858 7mths 11days 2nd (1858 - 1859) Railway to Morpeth Committee No.31 31 Aug 1858 11 Apr 1859 7mths 12days 2nd (1858 - 1859) Governor General’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 9 Dec 1858 9 Dec 1858 1day 2nd (1858 - 1859) Library Committee No.3 10 Dec 1858 9 Apr 1859 4mths 2nd (1858 - 1859) Standing Orders Committee No.2 10 Dec 1858 9 Apr 1859 4mths 2nd (1858 - 1859) Railway to Morpeth Committee No.7 21 Dec 1858 11 Apr 1859 3mths 22days 2nd (1858 - 1859) Parliamentary Accommodation Committee No.10 17 Mar 1859 9 Apr 1859 24days 2nd (1858 - 1859) Library Committee No.3 1 Sep 1859 4 Jul 1860 10mths 4days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Standing Orders Committee No.2 1 Sep 1859 4 Jul 1860 10mths 4days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Sydney Grammar School Committee No.6 13 Sep 1859 4 Jul 1860 9mths 22days 3rd (1859 - 1860) University of Sydney Committee No.5 13 Sep 1859 4 Jul 1860 9mths 22days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Retrenchment in the Public Expenditure Committee No.7 14 Sep 1859 4 Jul 1860 9mths 21days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Alluvial Lands of the Hunter Committee No.10 16 Sep 1859 4 Jul 1860 9mths 19days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Working of the Sydney Municipal Council Committee No.12 20 Sep 1859 4 Jul 1860 9mths 15days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Seat claimed by James Hoskins, Esquire, Committee No.23 13 Oct 1859 4 Jul 1860 8mths 22days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Port of Newcastle Committee No.29 14 Dec 1859 4 Jul 1860 6mths 21days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Cases of Charles Skerrett Committee No.32 3 Feb 1860 4 Jul 1860 5mths 2days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Chairman Maitland Pasturage Reserve Committee No.34 14 Feb 1860 4 Jul 1860 4mths 21days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Hawkesbury Benevolent Society’s Act Amendment Bill Committee No.35 16 Feb 1860 4 Jul 1860 4mths 19days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Federation of the Australian Colonies Committee No.38 3 Apr 1860 4 Jul 1860 3mths 2days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Fitz Roy Dry Dock Committee No.40 10 Apr 1860 4 Jul 1860 2mths 25days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Governor General’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 25 Sep 1860 25 Sep 1860 1day 4th (1860 - 1864) Library Committee No.3 27 Sep 1860 9 Nov 1860 1mth 14days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Federation of the Australian Colonies Committee No.5 28 Sep 1860 9 Nov 1860 1mth 13days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Alleged Embezzlement of Public Moneys by Corporal Francis Committee No.8 12 Oct 1860 9 Nov 1860 29days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Present System of Tendering for the Public Service Committee No.11 16 Oct 1860 9 Nov 1860 25days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Public Prisons in Sydney and Cumberland Committee No.14 23 Oct 1860 9 Nov 1860 18days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Library Committee No.3 15 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3mths 27days 4th (1860 - 1864) Standing Orders Committee No.2 15 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3mths 27days 4th (1860 - 1864) Present System of Tendering for the Public Service Committee No.10 29 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3mths 13days 4th (1860 - 1864) Light-house, near Jervis Bay Committee No.19 12 Feb 1861 11 May 1861 2mths 30days 4th (1860 - 1864) Wahgunyah Murray Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.21 19 Feb 1861 11 May 1861 2mths 23days 4th (1860 - 1864) Privilege Committee No.29 4 Apr 1861 11 May 1861 1mth 8days 4th (1860 - 1864) Morpeth and Maitland Railway Company’s Bill Committee No.30 24 Apr 1861 11 May 1861 18days 4th (1860 - 1864) Library Committee No.3 4 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 4mths 17days 4th (1860 - 1864) Standing Orders Committee No.2 4 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 4mths 17days 4th (1860 - 1864) Maitland and Morpeth Railway Company’s Bill Committee No.12 3 Oct 1861 20 Jan 1862 3mths 18days 4th (1860 - 1864) Re-appointed on 9 October 1861 Railway Obstruction to Gaol and Court House Reserve in the Town of Maitland Committee No.16 25 Oct 1861 20 Jan 1862 2mths 27days 4th (1860 - 1864) System of Railway Locomotion proposed by Mr E.Bell Committee No.18 12 Nov 1861 20 Jan 1862 2mths 9days 4th (1860 - 1864) Resignation of Mr Quodling, late Inspector of Roads in the Northern Districts Committee No.19 26 Nov 1861 15 Jan 1862 1mth 21days 4th (1860 - 1864) Library Committee No.3 28 May 1862 1 Aug 1862 2mths 5days 4th (1860 - 1864) Standing Orders Committee No.2 28 May 1862 20 Dec 1862 6mths 23days 4th (1860 - 1864) Bonded Distilleries and Sugar Houses Bill Committee No.12 3 Jul 1862 2 Sep 1862 2mths 4th (1860 - 1864) Pitt Street Tramway Committee No.16 25 Jul 1862 12 Dec 1862 4mths 18days 4th (1860 - 1864) Bulli Coal Mining Company’s Railway Bill Committee No.23 5 Aug 1862 26 Aug 1862 22days 4th (1860 - 1864) State of Manufactures and Agriculture in the Colony Committee No.26 12 Aug 1862 18 Nov 1862 3mths 7days 4th (1860 - 1864) Botany Railway Company’s Bill Committee No.29 16 Sep 1862 25 Sep 1862 10days 4th (1860 - 1864) Co-operative Coal Mining Company’s Bill Committee No.31 16 Sep 1862 24 Nov 1862 2mths 9days 4th (1860 - 1864) Miss Isabella Mary Kelly Committee No.32 23 Sep 1862 18 Dec 1862 2mths 26days 4th (1860 - 1864) Mount Pleasant Tramroad Bill Committee No.36 7 Oct 1862 17 Oct 1862 11days 4th (1860 - 1864) Waratah Coal Company’s Incorporation Bill No.45 2 Dec 1862 11 Dec 1862 10days 4th (1860 - 1864) Railway through Ultimo Estate No.44 2 Dec 1862 20 Dec 1862 19days 4th (1860 - 1864) Standing Orders Committee No.2 24 Jun 1863 10 Dec 1863 5mths 17days 4th (1860 - 1864) Library Committee No.3 24 Jun 1863 31 Mar 1864 9mths 8days 4th (1860 - 1864) Payments made out of Public Funds without Authority of Parliament Committee No.4 26 Jun 1863 18 Aug 1863 1mth 24days 4th (1860 - 1864) Harbour Defences Committee No.6 1 Jul 1863 20 Oct 1863 3mths 20days 4th (1860 - 1864) Harbour Defences Committee No.6 1 Jul 1863 20 Oct 1863 3mths 20days 4th (1860 - 1864) Miss Isabella Mary Kelly Committee No.5 1 Jul 1863 20 Oct 1863 3mths 20days 4th (1860 - 1864) Waratah Coal Company’s Incorporation Bill No.10 14 Jul 1863 17 Jul 1863 4days 4th (1860 - 1864) Railway through Ultimo Estate Committee No.20 15 Sep 1863 19 Apr 1864 7mths 5days 4th (1860 - 1864) Newcastle Wallsend Coal Company Committee No.21 15 Sep 1863 22 Apr 1864 7mths 8days 4th (1860 - 1864) Disorganized State of the Public Works Department Committee No.28 6 Oct 1863 7 Apr 1864 6mths 2days 4th (1860 - 1864) Library Committee No.3 19 Oct 1864 9 Nov 1864 22days 4th (1860 - 1864) Standing Orders Committee No.2 19 Oct 1864 9 Nov 1864 22days 4th (1860 - 1864) Library Committee No.5 8 Mar 1865 21 Jun 1865 3mths 14days 5th (1865 - 1869) Standing Orders Committee No.4 8 Mar 1865 21 Jun 1865 3mths 14days 4th (1860 - 1864) Railway through Ultimo Estate No.10 31 Mar 1865 9 Jun 1865 2mths 10days 5th (1865 - 1869) Harbour Defences Committee No.13 2 May 1865 8 Jun 1865 1mth 7days 5th (1865 - 1869) Standing Orders Committee No.3 25 Oct 1865 6 Dec 1865 1mth 12days 5th (1865 - 1869) Library Committee No.2 25 Oct 1865 7 Apr 1866 5mths 14days 5th (1865 - 1869) Library Committee No.2 25 Jul 1866 18 Mar 1857 5th (1865 - 1869) Standing Orders Committee No.3 25 Jul 1866 18 Mar 1867 7mths 22days 5th (1865 - 1869) Chairman Library Committee No.2 3 Jul 1867 21 Aug 1867 1mth 19days 5th (1865 - 1869) Library Committee No.2 3 Jul 1867 27 Apr 1868 9mths 25days 5th (1865 - 1869) Library Committee No.3 15 Dec 1868 3 Feb 1869 1mth 20days 5th (1865 - 1869) Standing Orders Committee No.5 15 Dec 1868 24 Mar 1869 3mths 10days 5th (1865 - 1869) Chairman Library Committee No.2 29 Sep 1869 13 Sep 1869 5th (1865 - 1869) Standing Orders Committee No.3 29 Sep 1869 13 Nov 1869 1mth 16days 5th (1865 - 1869) Chairman Standing Orders Committee No.3 2 Feb 1870 22 Feb 1870 21days 6th (1870 - 1872) Library Committee No.2 2 Feb 1870 7 May 1870 3mths 6days 6th (1870 - 1872) Standing Orders Committee No.3 12 Aug 1870 22 Mar 1871 7mths 11days 6th (1870 - 1872) Library Committee No.2 12 Aug 1870 22 Jun 1871 10mths 11days 6th (1870 - 1872) Chairman Standing Orders Committee No.3 15 Nov 1871 1 Feb 1872 2mths 18days 6th (1870 - 1872) Library Committee No.2 15 Nov 1871 1 Feb 1872 2mths 18days 6th (1870 - 1872) Standing Orders Committee No.4 12 Jun 1872 13 Aug 1872 2mths 2days 6th (1870 - 1872) Library Committee No.3 12 Jun 1872 13 Aug 1872 2mths 2days 6th (1870 - 1872) Standing Orders Committee No.4 6 Nov 1872 28 Mar 1873 4mths 23days 7th (1872 - 1874) Library Committee No.3 6 Nov 1872 25 Apr 1873 5mths 20days 7th (1872 - 1874) Standing Orders Committee No.2 10 Sep 1873 25 Jun 1874 9mths 16days 7th (1872 - 1874) Library Committee No.2 10 Sep 1873 25 Jun 1874 9mths 16days 7th (1872 - 1874) Chairman Library Committee No.2 4 Nov 1874 26 Nov 1874 23days 7th (1872 - 1874) Standing Orders Committee No.3 4 Nov 1874 26 Nov 1874 23days 7th (1872 - 1874) Library Committee No.3 31 Mar 1875 11 Aug 1875 4mths 12days 8th (1875 - 1877)

Community Activity

Member of the University of Sydney Senate from 1868 - 1874.

Qualifications, occupations and interests

Pastoralist. Educated at home until age 12 and then at Lowestoft School and Reverend J.C Williams' School, High Sycombe, Buckinghamshire. Emigrated to Sydney in 1839. Invested in livestock and became successful as a gold buyer. Returned to pastoral pursuits, acquiring much property on Paterson River. Director of Sydney Insurance Company.

Personal

Son of Reverend Richard Aldous Arnold, Rector of Ellough, and his wife Charlotte Elizabeth. Married Ellen Augusta Smith, daughter of the Reverend. J. J. Smith, on 9 November 1844 and had issue, 6 daughters and 3 sons (one of whom, Richard Aldous Arnold, was Clerk of the Legislative Assembly 1904 - 1916). Church of England.

Additional Information

Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 3. Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: William Munnings Arnold - correspondence, 1839-1875; with a draft of a speech and poems. (MLMSS 473); photographs in the PICMAN Database. IRN:425153 Text from the book: 'The Presiding Officers of the Parliament of New South Wales', Sydney, 1995: William Arnold was born on 26 October 1819 in Suffolk, England. Emigrating to Sydney in 1839, William Arnold invested heavily in land but made most of his wealth through gold speculation on the Mudgee goldfields. He married Ellen Smith on 9 November 1844 and they had three sons and six daughters. One of his sons, Richard Aldous Arnold, was Clerk of the Legislative Assembly between 1904 and 1916 Arnold's approach to electoral reform was considered radical at the time of his election to the Legislative Assembly as the Member for Durham in 1856. However, when re-elected to the Lower House as the Member for Paterson in 1859 the Electoral Law Amendment Act of 1858 had become law and incorporated some of Arnold's philosophies to electoral reform such as electoral districts based on population, manhood suffrage, and vote by ballot. Arnold's reputation for fairness was recognised when he was selected to become Chairman of Committees between 1858 and 1859. His Ministerial responsibilities included the portfolio as Secretary for Public Works between 1860 and 1863 and again between February and October 1865 and Secretary for Lands in October 1865. He held the position of Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from November 1865 until 2 March 1875 when he drowned in floodwaters near his Stradbroke estate on the Paterson River. His objectivity and fairness as Speaker of the Lower House ensured that his decisions were seldom opposed by either the Government or the Opposition.

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