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Mr William Munnings Arnold

Mr William Munnings ARNOLD (1819 - 1875)

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Date of Birth: 26/10/1819
Place of Birth: Ellough, Suffolk, England
Date of Death: 01/03/1875
Place of Death: Paterson River, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Library Committee No.3 31 Mar 1875 11 Aug 1875 4 months 12 days
Member for Patterson 18 Dec 1874 01 Mar 1875 2 months 12 days
Library Committee No.2 04 Nov 1874 26 Nov 1874 23 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 04 Nov 1874 26 Nov 1874 23 days
Library Committee No.2 10 Sep 1873 25 Jun 1874 9 months 16 days Chairman
Standing Orders Committee No.2 10 Sep 1873 25 Jun 1874 9 months 16 days
Library Committee No.3 06 Nov 1872 25 Apr 1873 5 months 20 days
Standing Orders Committee No.4 06 Nov 1872 28 Mar 1873 4 months 23 days
Library Committee No.3 12 Jun 1872 13 Aug 1872 2 months 2 days
Standing Orders Committee No.4 12 Jun 1872 13 Aug 1872 2 months 2 days
Member for Patterson 19 Feb 1872 28 Nov 1874 2 years 9 months 10 days
Library Committee No.2 15 Nov 1871 01 Feb 1872 2 months 18 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 15 Nov 1871 01 Feb 1872 2 months 18 days
Library Committee No.2 12 Aug 1870 22 Jun 1871 10 months 11 days Chairman
Standing Orders Committee No.3 12 Aug 1870 22 Mar 1871 7 months 11 days
Library Committee No.2 02 Feb 1870 07 May 1870 3 months 6 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 02 Feb 1870 22 Feb 1870 21 days
Member for Patterson 15 Dec 1869 03 Feb 1872 2 years 1 month 20 days
Library Committee No.2 29 Sep 1869 13 Sep 1869 0 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 29 Sep 1869 13 Nov 1869 1 month 16 days Chairman
Library Committee No.3 15 Dec 1868 03 Feb 1869 1 month 20 days
Standing Orders Committee No.5 15 Dec 1868 24 Mar 1869 3 months 10 days Chairman
Library Committee No.2 03 Jul 1867 27 Apr 1868 9 months 25 days
Library Committee No.2 03 Jul 1867 21 Aug 1867 1 month 19 days
Library Committee No.2 25 Jul 1866 18 Mar 1857 0 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 25 Jul 1866 18 Mar 1867 7 months 22 days Chairman
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly 01 Nov 1865 01 Mar 1875 9 years 4 months 1 day
Library Committee No.2 25 Oct 1865 07 Apr 1866 5 months 14 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 25 Oct 1865 06 Dec 1865 1 month 12 days
Secretary for Lands 20 Oct 1865 31 Oct 1865 12 days
Harbour Defences Committee No.13 02 May 1865 08 Jun 1865 1 month 7 days
Railway through Ultimo Estate No.10 31 Mar 1865 09 Jun 1865 2 months 10 days
Library Committee No.5 08 Mar 1865 21 Jun 1865 3 months 14 days
Standing Orders Committee No.4 08 Mar 1865 21 Jun 1865 3 months 14 days
Member for Patterson 21 Feb 1865 15 Nov 1869 4 years 8 months 26 days
Secretary for Public Works 03 Feb 1865 19 Oct 1865 8 months 17 days
Member for Patterson 14 Dec 1864 03 Feb 1865 1 month 21 days
Library Committee No.3 19 Oct 1864 09 Nov 1864 22 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 19 Oct 1864 09 Nov 1864 22 days
Disorganized State of the Public Works Department Committee No.28 06 Oct 1863 07 Apr 1864 6 months 2 days
Newcastle Wallsend Coal Company Committee No.21 15 Sep 1863 22 Apr 1864 7 months 8 days
Railway through Ultimo Estate Committee No.20 15 Sep 1863 19 Apr 1864 7 months 5 days
Waratah Coal Company’s Incorporation Bill No.10 14 Jul 1863 17 Jul 1863 4 days
Harbour Defences Committee No.6 01 Jul 1863 20 Oct 1863 3 months 20 days
Harbour Defences Committee No.6 01 Jul 1863 20 Oct 1863 3 months 20 days
Miss Isabella Mary Kelly Committee No.5 01 Jul 1863 20 Oct 1863 3 months 20 days
Payments made out of Public Funds without Authority of Parliament Committee No.4 26 Jun 1863 18 Aug 1863 1 month 24 days
Library Committee No.3 24 Jun 1863 31 Mar 1864 9 months 8 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 24 Jun 1863 10 Dec 1863 5 months 17 days
Railway through Ultimo Estate No.44 02 Dec 1862 20 Dec 1862 19 days
Waratah Coal Company’s Incorporation Bill No.45 02 Dec 1862 11 Dec 1862 10 days
Mount Pleasant Tramroad Bill Committee No.36 07 Oct 1862 17 Oct 1862 11 days
Miss Isabella Mary Kelly Committee No.32 23 Sep 1862 18 Dec 1862 2 months 26 days
Botany Railway Company’s Bill Committee No.29 16 Sep 1862 25 Sep 1862 10 days
Co-operative Coal Mining Company’s Bill Committee No.31 16 Sep 1862 24 Nov 1862 2 months 9 days
State of Manufactures and Agriculture in the Colony Committee No.26 12 Aug 1862 18 Nov 1862 3 months 7 days
Bulli Coal Mining Company’s Railway Bill Committee No.23 05 Aug 1862 26 Aug 1862 22 days
Pitt Street Tramway Committee No.16 25 Jul 1862 12 Dec 1862 4 months 18 days
Bonded Distilleries and Sugar Houses Bill Committee No.12 03 Jul 1862 02 Sep 1862 2 months
Library Committee No.3 28 May 1862 01 Aug 1862 2 months 5 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 28 May 1862 20 Dec 1862 6 months 23 days
Resignation of Mr Quodling, late Inspector of Roads in the Northern Districts Committee No.19 26 Nov 1861 15 Jan 1862 1 month 21 days
System of Railway Locomotion proposed by Mr E.Bell Committee No.18 12 Nov 1861 20 Jan 1862 2 months 9 days
Railway Obstruction to Gaol and Court House Reserve in the Town of Maitland Committee No.16 25 Oct 1861 20 Jan 1862 2 months 27 days
Maitland and Morpeth Railway Company’s Bill Committee No.12 03 Oct 1861 20 Jan 1862 3 months 18 days Re-appointed on 9 October 1861
Library Committee No.3 04 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 4 months 17 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 04 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 4 months 17 days
Morpeth and Maitland Railway Company’s Bill Committee No.30 24 Apr 1861 11 May 1861 18 days
Privilege Committee No.29 04 Apr 1861 11 May 1861 1 month 8 days
Wahgunyah Murray Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.21 19 Feb 1861 11 May 1861 2 months 23 days
Light-house, near Jervis Bay Committee No.19 12 Feb 1861 11 May 1861 3 months
Present System of Tendering for the Public Service Committee No.10 29 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 13 days
Library Committee No.3 15 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 27 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 15 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 27 days
Member for Patterson 08 Dec 1860 10 Nov 1864 3 years 11 months 3 days
Public Prisons in Sydney and Cumberland Committee No.14 23 Oct 1860 09 Nov 1860 18 days
Present System of Tendering for the Public Service Committee No.11 16 Oct 1860 09 Nov 1860 25 days
Alleged Embezzlement of Public Moneys by Corporal Francis Committee No.8 12 Oct 1860 09 Nov 1860 29 days
Federation of the Australian Colonies Committee No.5 28 Sep 1860 09 Nov 1860 1 month 13 days
Library Committee No.3 27 Sep 1860 09 Nov 1860 1 month 14 days
Governor General’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 25 Sep 1860 25 Sep 1860 1 day
Fitz Roy Dry Dock Committee No.40 10 Apr 1860 04 Jul 1860 2 months 25 days
Federation of the Australian Colonies Committee No.38 03 Apr 1860 04 Jul 1860 3 months 2 days
Member for Patterson 21 Mar 1860 10 Nov 1860 7 months 21 days
Secretary for Public Works 09 Mar 1860 15 Oct 1863 3 years 7 months 7 days
Hawkesbury Benevolent Society’s Act Amendment Bill Committee No.35 16 Feb 1860 04 Jul 1860 4 months 19 days
Maitland Pasturage Reserve Committee No.34 14 Feb 1860 04 Jul 1860 4 months 21 days
Cases of Charles Skerrett Committee No.32 03 Feb 1860 04 Jul 1860 5 months 2 days Chairman
Port of Newcastle Committee No.29 14 Dec 1859 04 Jul 1860 6 months 21 days
Seat claimed by James Hoskins, Esquire, Committee No.23 13 Oct 1859 04 Jul 1860 8 months 22 days
Working of the Sydney Municipal Council Committee No.12 20 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 9 months 15 days
Alluvial Lands of the Hunter Committee No.10 16 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 9 months 19 days
Retrenchment in the Public Expenditure Committee No.7 14 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 9 months 21 days
Sydney Grammar School Committee No.6 13 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 9 months 22 days
University of Sydney Committee No.5 13 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 9 months 22 days
Library Committee No.3 01 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 10 months 4 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 01 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 10 months 4 days
Member for Patterson 16 Jun 1859 08 Mar 1860 8 months 22 days
Parliamentary Accommodation Committee No.10 17 Mar 1859 09 Apr 1859 24 days
Railway to Morpeth Committee No.7 21 Dec 1858 11 Apr 1859 3 months 22 days
Library Committee No.3 10 Dec 1858 09 Apr 1859 4 months
Standing Orders Committee No.2 10 Dec 1858 09 Apr 1859 4 months
Governor General’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 09 Dec 1858 09 Dec 1858 1 day
Railway to Morpeth Committee No.31 31 Aug 1858 11 Apr 1859 7 months 12 days
Alluvial Lands of the Hunter Committee No.10 16 Apr 1858 26 Nov 1858 7 months 11 days
Library Committee No.3 25 Mar 1858 26 Nov 1858 8 months 2 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 25 Mar 1858 26 Nov 1858 8 months 2 days
Chairman of Committees 25 Mar 1858 11 Apr 1859 1 year 18 days
Member for Durham 05 Feb 1858 11 Apr 1859 1 year 2 months 7 days
Standing Order Committee 02 Dec 1857 18 Dec 1857 17 days
Secondary Punishment Committee No.8 13 Nov 1857 18 Dec 1857 1 month 6 days
Burwood Tramroad Continuation Act Amendment Bill Committee No.14 03 Nov 1857 18 Dec 1857 1 month 16 days
Alluvial Lands of the Hunter Committee No.13 30 Oct 1857 18 Dec 1857 1 month 19 days
Australian Agricultural Company’s Newcastle Railway Bill Committee No.12 30 Oct 1857 18 Dec 1857 1 month 19 days
Late Shipwrecks, Port Jackson Committee No.11 30 Oct 1857 18 Dec 1857 1 month 19 days Chairman
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.5 19 Aug 1857 18 Dec 1857 4 months By Speaker's Warrant
Library Committee 12 Aug 1857 18 Dec 1857 4 months 7 days
Alluvial Lands of the Hunter Committee No.27 20 Feb 1857 18 Mar 1857 27 days
Railway Terminus and Wharfs at Newcastle Committee No.25 09 Dec 1856 18 Mar 1857 3 months 10 days
Liverpool and London Fire and Life Assurance Company’s Bill Committee No.21 18 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months 1 day
Richmond Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.18 08 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months 11 days
Deepening the River Hunter Committee No.16 04 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months 15 days
Electric Telegraph Committee No.14 31 Oct 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months 18 days
Church and School Lands Committee No.11 19 Aug 1856 18 Mar 1857 7 months
Impounding Laws Committee No. 10 15 Aug 1856 18 Mar 1857 7 months 4 days
Library Committee No.4 03 Jun 1856 18 Mar 1857 9 months 16 days
Member for Durham 07 Apr 1856 19 Dec 1857 1 year 8 months 13 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 07 Apr 1856 01 Mar 1875 18 years 10 months 23 days
Political Party Activity
Community Activity
Member of the University of Sydney Senate from 1868 - 1874.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Pastoralist. Educated at home until age 12 and then at Lowestoft School and Reverend J.C Williams' School, High Sycombe, Buckinghamshire. Emigrated to Sydney in 1839. Invested in livestock and became successful as a gold buyer. Returned to pastoral pursuits, acquiring much property on Paterson River. Director of Sydney Insurance Company.
Military Service
Honours Received
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of Reverend Richard Aldous Arnold, Rector of Ellough, and his wife Charlotte Elizabeth. Married Ellen Augusta Smith, daughter of the Reverend. J. J. Smith, on 9 November 1844 and had issue, 6 daughters and 3 sons (one of whom, Richard Aldous Arnold, was Clerk of the Legislative Assembly 1904 - 1916). Church of England.
Additional Information
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 3. Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: William Munnings Arnold - correspondence, 1839-1875; with a draft of a speech and poems. (MLMSS 473); photographs in the PICMAN Database. IRN:425153 Text from the book: 'The Presiding Officers of the Parliament of New South Wales', Sydney, 1995: William Arnold was born on 26 October 1819 in Suffolk, England. Emigrating to Sydney in 1839, William Arnold invested heavily in land but made most of his wealth through gold speculation on the Mudgee goldfields. He married Ellen Smith on 9 November 1844 and they had three sons and six daughters. One of his sons, Richard Aldous Arnold, was Clerk of the Legislative Assembly between 1904 and 1916 Arnold's approach to electoral reform was considered radical at the time of his election to the Legislative Assembly as the Member for Durham in 1856. However, when re-elected to the Lower House as the Member for Paterson in 1859 the Electoral Law Amendment Act of 1858 had become law and incorporated some of Arnold's philosophies to electoral reform such as electoral districts based on population, manhood suffrage, and vote by ballot. Arnold's reputation for fairness was recognised when he was selected to become Chairman of Committees between 1858 and 1859. His Ministerial responsibilities included the portfolio as Secretary for Public Works between 1860 and 1863 and again between February and October 1865 and Secretary for Lands in October 1865. He held the position of Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from November 1865 until 2 March 1875 when he drowned in floodwaters near his Stradbroke estate on the Paterson River. His objectivity and fairness as Speaker of the Lower House ensured that his decisions were seldom opposed by either the Government or the Opposition.

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.