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Member Details

Mr Alexander CAMPBELL (1812 - 1891)

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Date of Birth: 12/05/1812
Place of Birth: Relugas, near Forres, Scotland
Date of Death: 08/11/1891
Place of Death: Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Postmaster General 30 Aug 1882 04 Jan 1883 4 months 6 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 18 Oct 1864 24 Jul 1890 25 years 9 months 7 days Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 3 June 1864.
Petition of Mr James Boyle Committee No.17 06 Nov 1860 09 Nov 1860 4 days
West Maitland Church Land Sale Bill Committee No.16 25 Oct 1860 09 Nov 1860 16 days
Clarence and Richmond Rivers Stream Navigation Company’s Bill Committee No.15 23 Oct 1860 09 Nov 1860 18 days
Colonial Bank of Australia Incorporation Bill Committee No.13 19 Oct 1860 09 Nov 1860 22 days
Present System of Tendering for the Public Service Committee No.11 16 Oct 1860 09 Nov 1860 25 days
Federation of the Australian Colonies Committee No.5 28 Sep 1860 09 Nov 1860 1 month 13 days
Seizure of Opium per “Kate Hooper” Committee No.41 13 Apr 1860 04 Jul 1860 2 months 22 days
Fitz Roy Dry Dock Committee No.40 10 Apr 1860 04 Jul 1860 2 months 25 days
Member for Williams 16 Feb 1860 10 Nov 1860 8 months 26 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 16 Feb 1860 10 Nov 1860 8 months 26 days
Political Party Activity
Community Activity
Commissioned as a Justice of the Peace in 1844.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Lawyer (solicitor). Educated at Kingussie, Grantown -on-Spey and the Commercial Academy of Perth, Scotland. Was a businessman when he was elected to the Legislative Assembly. Campbell started his career working for a solicitor in Perth, Scotland. After arriving in Sydney, he worked for Grose and Steet, merchants and shipowners. In 1840, he started his own business and by 1842 was a partner in Campell, Hill and Company (from 1843, Smith, Campbell and Company) , merchants and commercial agents. He retired from this business in 1856. Involved in the management of banks: a Director of the Sydney Banking Company; proprietor of the Bank of Australia 1843-1844; a Director and a shareholder of the Australia General Assurance Company; a founder and Director of the Australian Mutual Provident Society in 1858; founder of the Mercantile Bank of Sydney in 1869, and its Managing Director until 1873; and Manager of Agra and Masterman's Bank 1863-1867. Was on the provisional committee of the Sydney Exchange in 1851; Chairman of its Board in 1853 and later a Director until 1891. Had pastoral interests on the Darling Downs and on the Namoi and Barwon Rivers.
Military Service
Honours Received
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of Donald Campbell, farmer, and Janet Ralph. Arrived in Sydney on 24 February 1838. Married (1) Maria Martin on 1 July 1842 and had issue, 1son and 3 daughters. Married (2) Sarah Robertson Murray on 6 October 1857 in Scotland and had issue, 4 sons and 4 daughters. Married (3) Harriet Hunt on 8 January 1873 at Sydney and had no issue. Church of England.
Additional Information
References: Australian Dictionary of Biography, volume three; Members of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales 1856-1901

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.