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Member Details

The Hon. Richard Thomas BALL (1857 - 1937)

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Date of Birth: 14/09/1857
Place of Birth: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death: 30/10/1937
Place of Death: Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Member for Corowa 18 Apr 1935 30 Oct 1937 2 years 6 months 13 days
Member for Corowa 11 Jun 1932 12 Apr 1935 2 years 10 months 2 days
Member for Corowa 25 Oct 1930 18 May 1932 1 year 6 months 24 days
Minister for Lands 18 Oct 1927 03 Nov 1930 3 years 17 days
Member for Corowa 08 Oct 1927 18 Sep 1930 2 years 11 months 11 days
Member for Murray 30 May 1925 07 Sep 1927 2 years 3 months 9 days
Secretary for Public Works and Minister for Railways and State Industrial Enterprises 28 Jun 1922 17 Jun 1925 2 years 11 months 21 days
Minister for Agriculture 13 Apr 1922 28 Jun 1922 2 months 16 days
Member for Murray 25 Mar 1922 18 Apr 1925 3 years 25 days
Member for Murray 20 Mar 1920 17 Feb 1922 1 year 10 months 29 days
Member for Corowa 24 Mar 1917 18 Feb 1920 2 years 10 months 26 days
Secretary for Public Works and Minister for Railways 15 Nov 1916 12 Apr 1920 3 years 4 months 29 days
Standing Orders Committee No. 4 28 Jul 1916 21 Dec 1916 4 months 24 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No. 2 20 Jul 1916 21 Dec 1916 5 months 2 days
The King's Message Committee No. 10 10 Aug 1915 13 Apr 1916 8 months 4 days
Standing Orders Committee No. 3 02 Jul 1915 13 Apr 1916 9 months 12 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No. 2 01 Jul 1915 13 Apr 1916 9 months 14 days
Printing Committee No. 6 22 Jul 1914 23 Feb 1915 7 months 2 days
Standing Orders Committee No. 4 22 Jul 1914 23 Feb 1915 7 months 2 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No. 2 21 Jul 1914 23 Feb 1915 7 months 3 days
Printing Committee No. 6 11 Mar 1914 18 Apr 1914 1 month 8 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No. 2 03 Mar 1914 18 Apr 1914 1 month 16 days
Member for Corowa 06 Dec 1913 21 Feb 1917 3 years 2 months 16 days
Michael Gleeson’s Application for a Selection, Land District of Dubbo Committee No.7 12 Aug 1913 23 Sep 1913 1 month 12 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 29 Jul 1913 15 Oct 1913 2 months 17 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 31 Jul 1912 05 Dec 1912 4 months 5 days
Dalgety Siding Bill Committee No.7 13 Sep 1911 28 Sep 1911 16 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 30 Aug 1911 30 Oct 1911 2 months 1 day
Timber Industry Committee No.15 11 Jul 1911 01 Aug 1911 22 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 16 May 1911 01 Aug 1911 2 months 17 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 24 Nov 1910 23 Dec 1910 1 month
Member for Corowa 14 Oct 1910 06 Nov 1913 3 years 24 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 21 Jun 1910 20 Aug 1910 2 months
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 13 Jul 1909 17 Dec 1909 5 months 5 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 23 Jul 1908 19 Dec 1908 4 months 27 days
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 21 Jul 1908 21 Jul 1908 1 day
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 12 Mar 1908 10 Apr 1908 30 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 22 Oct 1907 15 Nov 1907 25 days
Member for Corowa 10 Sep 1907 14 Sep 1910 3 years 5 days
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 02 Jul 1907 02 Jul 1907 1 day
Grain Elevators Committee No.10 20 Sep 1906 13 Dec 1906 2 months 24 days
Diocese of Goulburn Church Land Sale Bill Committee No.13 23 Aug 1905 05 Sep 1905 14 days
Murrumbidgee Northern Water Supply and Irrigation Bill Committee No.8 11 Jul 1905 07 Sep 1905 1 month 28 days
Government Savings Bill Committee No.13 02 Dec 1904 06 Dec 1904 5 days
Member for Corowa 06 Aug 1904 19 Aug 1907 3 years 14 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 06 Aug 1904 18 Sep 1930 26 years 1 month 13 days
The Lieutenant-Governor’s Opening Speech. Committee No. 1 14 Aug 1895 08 Jul 1898 2 years 10 months 25 days
Member for Albury 24 Jul 1895 03 Jul 1898 2 years 11 months 10 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 24 Jul 1895 03 Jul 1898 2 years 11 months 10 days
Political Party Activity
Freetrade. Liberal and Reform Party. Nationalist Party. United Australia Party (UAP). United Country Party.
Community Activity
Trustee of the National Park from 1933 to 1937. Delegate to the annual Farmers and Settlers' Association conference and Riverina New State League delegate to the All Australia conference in 1922.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Educated at Eastern Creek Public School. Employed by Chapman and Company, engineers, and Atlas Foundry and Engineering Works. Worked as a blacksmith at Brisbane Street, Sydney. In 1881 he purchased Burn and Son's foundry at Goulburn. Established RT Ball and Company in 1885 and from 1888 carried out government railway contracts. In 1894 he became bankrupt and his estate was sequestrated; he was discharged from bankruptcy in 1895. Moving to Albury in 1895 he helped build the local waterworks. After a term a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Albury, he moved to Sydney in 1898 where he practised as a mechanical engineer. About 1911 he moved to Petersham and at Goulburn re-established RT Ball and Company, which his son eventually managed. Assisted in founding the Institution of Engineers, Australia of which he became an Associate Member.
Military Service
Honours Received
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Alderman of Goulburn from 1887 - 1894; Mayor 1890 - 1891.
Personal
Son of George Ball, a farmer, and his wife Ann Hooper. Married (1) Esther Arnold on 6 May 1880 and they had 2 daughters and 2 sons. Married (2) Lillie May Hume, on 26 January 1926.
Additional Information
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume Seven

The Parliament of New South Wales acknowledges and respects the traditional lands of all Aboriginal people, and pays respects to all Elders past and present. We acknowledge the Gadigal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Parliament of New South Wales stands.