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Member Details

Sir Austin CHAPMAN (1864 - 1926)

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Date of Birth: 10/07/1864
Place of Birth: Bong Bong, near Bowral, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death: 12/01/1926
Place of Death: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Municipal District of Inverell Reduced Area Bill Committee No.13 24 Jul 1900 18 Oct 1900 2 months 25 days
Refreshment Committee No.3 20 Jun 1900 05 Dec 1900 5 months 16 days
Yass Roman Catholic Church Trustees Enabling Bill Committee No.24 21 Dec 1899 22 Dec 1899 2 days
Claim of James and Patrick Guihan of Kangaroo Valley Committee No.19 21 Nov 1899 30 Nov 1899 10 days
Refreshment Committee No.6 02 Aug 1899 10 Oct 1899 2 months 9 days
Refreshment Committee No.3 21 Feb 1899 30 Mar 1899 1 month 10 days
Case of Sydney Cooper as to Mining under a Road, parish of Clive, county of Gough Committee No. 17 27 Oct 1898 23 Dec 1898 1 month 27 days
City and North Sydney Connection Bill Committee No. 11 20 Sep 1898 23 Dec 1898 3 months 4 days
Refreshment Committee No. 5 25 Aug 1898 23 Dec 1898 3 months 29 days
Member for Braidwood 27 Jul 1898 11 Jun 1901 2 years 10 months 16 days
Refreshment Committee No. 3 28 Jun 1898 08 Jul 1898 11 days
Refreshment Committee No.4 28 Apr 1897 10 Dec 1897 7 months 13 days
Claim of Mr. Alfred J.Hack Committee No.28 22 Sep 1896 16 Nov 1896 1 month 26 days
Ryan’s Conditional Purchase in the Wagga Wagga Land District Committee No.21 04 Aug 1896 10 Sep 1896 1 month 7 days
City and North Sydney Tunnel Roadway Bill Committee No.14 01 Jul 1896 14 Jul 1896 14 days
Case of Staff Sergeant W.Jiffkins Committee No.11 30 Jun 1896 26 Aug 1896 1 month 28 days
Old Age Pension Committee No.9 16 Jun 1896 16 Sep 1896 3 months 1 day
Refreshment Committee No.4 14 May 1896 16 Nov 1896 6 months 3 days
City and North Sydney Railway Bill Committee No.16 12 Dec 1895 19 Dec 1895 8 days
Wellington Show Ground Hill Committee No.15 12 Nov 1895 03 Dec 1895 22 days
Crown Pastoral, Agricultural and Horticultural Association Bill Committee No.14 06 Nov 1895 28 Nov 1895 23 days
Refreshment. Committee No. 4 20 Aug 1895 08 Jul 1898 2 years 10 months 19 days
Member for Braidwood 24 Jul 1895 08 Jul 1898 2 years 11 months 15 days
Appropriation Bill. Committee No. 15 21 Dec 1894 05 Jul 1895 6 months 15 days
Amendment of the Mining Laws. Committee No. 12 27 Nov 1894 05 Jul 1895 7 months 9 days
Refreshment Committee No. 4 29 Aug 1894 05 Jul 1895 10 months 7 days
Member for Braidwood 17 Jul 1894 05 Jul 1895 11 months 19 days
Refreshment Committee No.5 23 Jan 1894 11 Jun 1894 4 months 20 days
Refreshment Committee No.5 27 Sep 1893 08 Dec 1893 2 months 12 days
William Stafford, ex Mounted Sergeant of Police Committee No.23 12 Apr 1893 12 May 1893 1 month 1 day
Refreshment Committee No.7 05 Oct 1892 18 Oct 1892 14 days
Member for Braidwood 24 Jun 1891 25 Jun 1894 3 years 2 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 24 Jun 1891 11 Jun 1901 9 years 11 months 19 days
Case of Staff Sergeant W.Jiffkins Committee No.13 24 Apr 1891 09 May 1894 3 years 16 days
Political Party Activity
He was the first Government Whip in the Commonwealth Parliament in 1901- 1903.
Community Activity
Member of the Braidwood Literary Institute. Secretary of Braidwood Hospital. Secretary of Braidwood Railway League. Attended the Coronation of King Edward VII in 1902. Represented Australia, New Zealand and Fiji at the International Postal Union Congress in Rome in 1906. Chairman of the Royal Commission which recommended old age pensions in 1906. Commissioner for the Australian section of the British Empire Exhibition in London, 1923- 1924. Member of the Commonwealth Board of Trade 1923- 1926.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Publican, businessman and auctioneer. Educated at Marulan Public School. Was a businessman when he was elected to the Legislative Assembly. Apprenticed to a saddler at Marulan at the age of 14 and then worked at Goulburn and Mudgee. By 1885, he operated the Chapman's Hotel, Bungendore. In 1887, moved to Sydney as managing partner of the firm Chapman and Company. His partner E W O'Sullivan was at that time a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Queanbeyan. (He was a Member of the Legislative Assembly in the 12th to 21st Parliaments. Twice held Ministerial positions.) At the same time, Chapman kept the Emu Inn in Bathurst St, Sydney. In October 1889, his partnership with O'Sullivan dissolved and he opened the Royal Hotel, Braidwood. Established himself in business as an auctioneer and commercial agent. Was also an investor and director of local dredging companies including Araluen Central Gold Dredging Company, Redbank Gold Dredging Company and Victorian Araluen Dredging Company. Raced his own horses. Moved his auctioneering and commercial agent's business to Sydney, after selling the Royal Hotel at Braidwood to his brother-in-law. He established households in Sydney and Melbourne but visited Braidwood regularly.
Military Service
Honours Received
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) June 1924.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Member of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. Member of the House of Representatives for Eden-Monaro 1901 - 1926.
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of Richard, a wheelwright and publican, and Monica Kean. Married Catherine O'Brien of Belle Vue Station on 23 October 1894 and had issue, 2 sons and 2 daughters. In 1909, he was paralysed in one arm, after suffering a stroke. His brother, Albert Chapman, was also a Member of the Legislative Assembly. Estate was valued at probate for £34,811. Roman Catholic.
Additional Information
References: Australian Dictionary of Biography, volume seven; Members of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales 1856-1901; A Biographical Register of the Commonwealth Parliament 1901-1972.

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.