Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: 1. William McCourt - letter received from Edward Lloyd Jones congratulating McCourt on his appointment as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales, 1900 (MLMSS 6779); photographs in the PICMAN Database. 2. William McCourt - letters received, 1886, 1907 (MLDOC 2934). Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 10 Text from the book: 'The Presiding Officers of the Parliament of New South Wales', Sydney, 1995 William McCourt was born March 1851 in Ireland and emigrated to Australia with his parents in 1852 where they settled at Wollongong. Apprenticed as a printer, he began his own newspaper, the Moss Vale Scrutineer in 1874 but in 1886 he sold his newspaper interests and became heavily involved in land speculation. He married Emily Elizabeth Galbraith in 1882 and they had three sons and three daughters. One son, William Rupert McCourt, was Clerk of the Legislative Assembly from 1930 to 1947. William McCourt was the Member for Camden in the Legislative Assembly from 1882 until 1885 and again from 1887 until 1894, when he was elected as the Member for Bowral. He held that seat until 1904 when he successfully contested the seat of Wollondilly. As Chairman of Committees from 1894 until 1900 he earned a reputation for impartiality that distinguished him as an ideal candidate for the Speakership. Consequently his nomination for the office of Speaker in 1900 went without challenge. As Speaker of the Legislative Assembly between 1900 and 1910, McCourt's impartiality was met with support from all sides of the House. An advocate of free speech, McCourt actively sought to stimulate debate and he refrained from constraining Members through the Standing Orders and points of order. He died on 22 June 1913 in Sydney.