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Member Details

Mr John RICHARDSON (1810 - 1888)

Member Photo
Date of Birth: 01/01/1810
Place of Birth: Freuchie, Fifeshire, Scotland
Date of Death: 22/12/1888
Place of Death: Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 13 Oct 1868 29 Jun 1887 18 years 8 months 17 days Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 28 September 1868
St Andrew’s College Bill Committee No.24 14 Oct 1859 09 Nov 1860 1 year 27 days
Mount Keira Tramroad Bill Committee No.22 13 Oct 1859 04 Jul 1860 8 months 22 days
Member for Brisbane 10 Jun 1859 10 Dec 1859 6 months 1 day
Proposed Presbyterian College (petition) from the Reverend John Dunmore Lang Committee No.26 13 Jul 1858 26 Nov 1858 4 months 14 days
Murders by the Aborigines on the Dawson River Committee No.22 15 Jun 1858 26 Nov 1858 5 months 12 days
Special Return to Writ Committee No.5 31 Mar 1858 26 Nov 1858 7 months 27 days
Treasury Iron Chest and Accounts Committee No.4 30 Mar 1858 26 Nov 1858 7 months 28 days
Member for Stanley Boroughs 01 Feb 1858 11 Apr 1859 1 year 2 months 11 days
Treasury Iron Chest and Accounts Committee No.17 17 Nov 1857 18 Dec 1857 1 month 2 days
Audit of the Accounts of the Revenues Committee 12 Aug 1857 18 Dec 1857 4 months 7 days
Civil Service Superannuation Fund Committee No.19 11 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months 8 days
Sydney Bethel Union Bill Committee No.9 13 Aug 1856 18 Mar 1857 7 months 6 days
Audit of the Revenue Accounts Committee No.6 06 Aug 1856 18 Mar 1857 7 months 13 days
Member for Stanley Boroughs 07 Apr 1856 19 Dec 1857 1 year 8 months 13 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 07 Apr 1856 10 Dec 1859 3 years 8 months 4 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 01 Sep 1855 29 Feb 1856 6 months An Elective Member of the first Legislative Council 1843 - 1856 for the Stanley Boroughs viz., North Brisbane, South Brisbane, and Kangaroo Point, and Ipswich
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 01 Sep 1851 31 Mar 1854 2 years 7 months An Elective Member of the first Legislative Council 1843 - 1856 for the County of Stanley
Political Party Activity
Community Activity
Commissioned as a Justice of the Peace
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Commercial and shipping agent and pastoralist. Educated in parish schools in Freuchie, Pitlessie and at Cupar Academy. Apprenticed at 16 to linen draper, Kirkcaldy; from 1835 worked in London. Arrived in Sydney from April 1837. Worked with R. Bourne & Co. for 4 years. Set up as a storekeeper in Brisbane., c.1842, developing into merchant importing direct from England. Built wharf and warehouse in Brisbane., c.1850. By 1857 held 22,040 acres in County of Stanley; took up runs in Darling Downs. Lost heavily on speculations. Auditor of Bank of New South Wales in 1868. In 1872 purchased a general store at Armidale and built up a flourishing business. Also had a flour mill, furniture and upholstery factory. Supported Moreton Bay separation; described as a 'radical' by Henry Parkes and supported democratic reforms in late 1850s. Visited Britain from 1854 until 1855. On council of St Andrews College at University of Sydney; on committee of Home Visiting and Relief Society Estate.
Military Service
Honours Received
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Eldest son of Reverend John Richardson, United Presbyterian Minister, and Grace Pratt. Married Janet Russell on 10 June 1847 at Sydney and had issue 2 daughters and 5 sons. Presbyterian.
Additional Information
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 6

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.