Date of Birth: 01/01/1811
Place of Birth: Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
Date of Death: 28/10/1867
Place of Death: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Parliamentary Service
| Member of the NSW Legislative Council |
01 Jun 1850 |
30 Jun 1851 |
1 year 1 month |
An Elective Member of the first Legislative Council 1843 - 1856 for the District of Port Phillip |
| Member of the NSW Legislative Council |
01 Mar 1848 |
20 Jun 1848 |
3 months 22 days |
An Elective Member of the first Legislative Council 1843 - 1856 for the District of Port Phillip |
| Member of the NSW Legislative Council |
01 Jun 1843 |
31 Mar 1844 |
10 months |
An Elective Member of the first Legislative Council 1843 - 1856 for the District of Port Phillip |
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Pastoralist, businessman and politician. In 1832 after several trips between the Cape and Australia, he settled in Sydney as a merchant. By 1835 had joined the pastoral movement. On 1 June 1837 purchased land in Collins Street, Melbourne and settled there. Visited England between 1854 and 1856. Was a 'dandy' who delighted in his reputation for oddity and was a political representative of the squatters of his time.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Member of the first (pre-Responsible Government) Legislative Council of Victoria from 1851 to October 1852; he was the first Auditor-General of Victoria, appointed on 1 July 1851, the day the Colony of Victoria was proclaimed. Resigned in October 1852.
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria for Brighton from March 1857 to 1860. Was Treasurer in the second Haines ministry from April 1857 to March 1858.
Local Government Activity
Personal
The exact date of his birth is not known (1 January is placed there for database reasons).
Second son of John Bardwell Ebden, a prominent merchant, banker and politician in the Cape Colony, and his wife Antoinette Adriana Kirchmann. Married Tamar Harding in 1847 or 1848 and had issue, 1 son and 2 daughters. His brother, John Watts Ebden, became Solicitor-General and a judge of the Cape Colony.
Additional Information
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 1
