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Sir Robert Wisdom

Sir Robert WISDOM, K.C.M.G.,Q.C (1830 - 1888)

Member Photo
Date of Birth: 31/01/1830
Place of Birth: Blackburn, Lancashire, England
Date of Death: 16/03/1888
Place of Death: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 16 Mar 1888 16 Mar 1888 1 day Did not take his seat. Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 2 February 1887
Sydney Corporation Act Amendment Bill Committee No.38 14 May 1886 14 May 1886 1 day
St Mary’s Waverley Church of England Land Sale Bill Committee No.13 11 Dec 1885 16 Dec 1885 6 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 03 Dec 1885 25 Oct 1886 10 months 23 days
Member for Morpeth 22 Oct 1885 26 Jan 1887 1 year 3 months 5 days
Barker’s Estate Bill Committee No.19 29 Sep 1885 30 Sep 1885 2 days
St Mary’s Waverley Church of England Sale Bill Committee No.18 29 Sep 1885 30 Sep 1885 2 days
Uther Estate Leasing Bill Committee No.17 29 Sep 1885 02 Oct 1885 4 days
Standing Orders Committee No.5 24 Sep 1885 02 Oct 1885 9 days
Library Committee No.3 17 Mar 1885 27 Mar 1885 11 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 17 Mar 1885 27 Mar 1885 11 days
Library Committee No.3 19 Nov 1884 27 Nov 1884 9 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 19 Nov 1884 27 Nov 1884 9 days
Road through Mr Polson’s property, Manning River Committee No.53 11 Jul 1884 01 Nov 1884 3 months 22 days
Singleton Gas Bill Committee No.34 08 Feb 1884 21 Feb 1884 14 days
Hutchinson’s Estate Bill Committee No.11 25 Oct 1883 16 Nov 1883 23 days
Library Committee No.2 10 Oct 1883 01 Nov 1884 1 year 23 days
Member for Morpeth 13 Dec 1882 07 Oct 1885 2 years 9 months 25 days
Library Committee No.2 30 Aug 1882 21 Nov 1882 2 months 23 days
Library Committee No.3 06 Jul 1881 20 Dec 1881 5 months 15 days
Library Committee No.2 17 Dec 1880 06 Apr 1881 3 months 21 days
Member for Morpeth 16 Nov 1880 23 Nov 1882 2 years 8 days
Stamp Duties Bill (No.2) Committee No.24 20 May 1880 20 May 1880 1 day
Equity Branch of the Supreme Court Committee No.12 02 Dec 1879 22 Jun 1880 6 months 21 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 29 Oct 1879 13 Jul 1880 8 months 15 days
Member for Morpeth 26 Aug 1879 09 Nov 1880 1 year 2 months 15 days
Attorney General 13 Aug 1879 04 Jan 1883 3 years 4 months 23 days
Wagga Wagga Common Committee No.27 02 May 1879 24 Jul 1879 2 months 23 days
Address of Condolence with Her Majesty The Queen Committee No.21 17 Dec 1878 17 Dec 1878 1 day
Claim of Messrs Kelleher and Fitzgerald Committee No.10 01 Oct 1878 24 Jul 1879 9 months 24 days
Library Committee No.2 11 Sep 1878 24 Jul 1879 10 months 14 days
Refreshment Room No.4 11 Sep 1878 24 Jul 1879 10 months 14 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 11 Sep 1878 24 Jul 1879 10 months 14 days
Real Property Act Committee No.14 12 Feb 1878 21 May 1878 3 months 10 days
Library Committee No.4 30 Jan 1878 21 May 1878 3 months 22 days
Refreshment Room No.6 30 Jan 1878 21 May 1878 3 months 22 days
Standing Orders Committee No.5 30 Jan 1878 21 May 1878 3 months 22 days
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 28 Nov 1877 28 Nov 1877 1 day
Member for Morpeth 27 Oct 1877 13 Aug 1879 1 year 9 months 18 days
Library Committee No.2 14 Dec 1876 11 Oct 1877 9 months 28 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 14 Dec 1876 11 Oct 1877 9 months 28 days
Common Lodging Houses Committee No.18 14 Mar 1876 01 Aug 1876 4 months 19 days
Supply of Coal for Railway Purposes Committee No.16 29 Feb 1876 30 Jun 1876 4 months 2 days
Road through Messrs Badgery’s Land Committee No.13 08 Feb 1876 29 Jun 1876 4 months 22 days
Member for Goldfields North 10 Jan 1876 01 Mar 1876 1 month 21 days
The Case of Amelia Gould Committee No.10 14 Dec 1875 29 Feb 1876 2 months 16 days
Library Committee No.2 18 Nov 1875 22 Aug 1876 9 months 5 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 18 Nov 1875 22 Aug 1876 9 months 5 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 16 Nov 1875 27 Apr 1876 5 months 12 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 16 Nov 1875 27 Apr 1876 5 months 12 days
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 16 Nov 1875 16 Nov 1875 1 day
Mineral Selection at Milburn Creek Committee No.15 25 May 1875 04 Aug 1875 2 months 11 days
Library Committee No.3 31 Mar 1875 11 Aug 1875 4 months 12 days
Standing Orders Committee No.4 31 Mar 1875 11 Aug 1875 4 months 12 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 28 Jan 1875 28 Jan 1875 1 day
Member for Morpeth 17 Dec 1874 12 Oct 1877 2 years 9 months 26 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
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.5 14 Nov 1871 01 Feb 1872 2 months 19 days
Government Printing Office Committee No.9 13 Sep 1870 04 May 1871 7 months 22 days
Library Committee No.2 12 Aug 1870 22 Jun 1871 10 months 11 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 12 Aug 1870 22 Mar 1871 7 months 11 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.5 11 Aug 1870 03 Nov 1870 2 months 24 days
Alleged Losses in consequence of insecurity of Post Office at Sofala Committee No.20 25 Mar 1870 07 May 1870 1 month 13 days
Mr Alexander Walker Scott – Land taken by Hunter River Railway Committee No.9 18 Feb 1870 29 Mar 1870 1 month 12 days
Railway Extension Committee No.5 03 Feb 1870 25 Mar 1870 1 month 23 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 Lower Hunter 17 Dec 1869 03 Feb 1872 2 years 1 month 18 days
Alleged losses in consequence of insecurity of Post Office, Sofala Committee No.13 26 Oct 1869 13 Nov 1869 19 days
Claims of Mr Bartholomew Rush Committee No.8 08 Oct 1869 13 Nov 1869 1 month 6 days
Mr Alexander Walker Scott – Land taken by Hunter River Railway Committee No.5 01 Oct 1869 11 Nov 1869 1 month 12 days
Library Committee No.2 29 Sep 1869 13 Nov 1869 1 month 16 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 29 Sep 1869 13 Nov 1869 1 month 16 days
Mrs Mary Singleton Committee No.11 19 Jan 1869 23 Feb 1869 1 month 5 days
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
Reverend James White Committee No.22 16 Mar 1868 07 Apr 1868 23 days
Claims of Mr Bartholomew Rush Committee No.17 22 Nov 1867 01 Apr 1868 4 months 11 days
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
City of Newcastle Gas and Coke Company’s Incorporation Bill Committee No.21 22 Nov 1866 29 Nov 1866 8 days
Fisheries Act Amendment Bill Committee No.20 02 Nov 1866 02 Dec 1866 1 month 1 day
Library Committee No.2 25 Jul 1866 18 Mar 1867 7 months 22 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 25 Jul 1866 18 Mar 1867 7 months 22 days
Exchange of Land Scots Church, Sydney, Legalizing Bill Committee No.13 15 Dec 1865 23 Feb 1866 2 months 9 days
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
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 Lower Hunter 08 Dec 1864 15 Nov 1869 4 years 11 months 8 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
Bathurst Market Bill Committee No.36 30 Mar 1864 31 Mar 1864 2 days
Working of the Gold Fields Act Committee No.26 29 Sep 1863 09 Mar 1864 5 months 10 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
Chairman of Committees 24 Jun 1863 22 Apr 1864 9 months 30 days
Mr Charles Phillips Lawrence Committee No.19 05 Aug 1862 29 Oct 1862 2 months 25 days
Library Committee No.3 28 May 1862 01 Aug 1862 2 months 5 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 28 May 1862 28 May 1862 1 day
Chairman of Committees 28 May 1862 28 May 1862 1 day
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
Chairman of Committees 04 Sep 1861 04 Sep 1861 1 day
Privilege Committee No.29 04 Apr 1861 11 May 1861 1 month 8 days
Claims of the Reverend W.B Clarke Committee No.26 12 Mar 1861 11 May 1861 2 months
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
Chairman of Committees 15 Jan 1861 15 Jan 1861 1 day
Member for Goldfields West 19 Dec 1860 10 Nov 1864 3 years 10 months 23 days
Maitland Pasturage Reserve Committee No.34 16 Feb 1860 04 Jul 1860 4 months 19 days
Cases of Charles Skerrett Committee No.32 03 Feb 1860 04 Jul 1860 5 months 2 days
Condition of the Bathurst Road Committee No.27 09 Dec 1859 04 Jul 1860 6 months 26 days
Grievances Committee No.26 06 Dec 1859 04 Jul 1860 6 months 29 days
Mount Keira Tramroad Bill Committee No.22 13 Oct 1859 10 Nov 1860 1 year 29 days
Seat claimed by James Hoskins, Esquire, Committee No.23 13 Oct 1859 04 Jul 1860 8 months 22 days
Newcastle Wallsend Coal Company’s Incorporation Bill Committee No.13 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
Member for Goldfields West 13 Jun 1859 10 Nov 1860 1 year 4 months 29 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 13 Jun 1859 26 Jan 1887 27 years 7 months 14 days
Political Party Activity
Community Activity
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Public servant. Arrived in Sydney in August 1834 with parents who went to Morpeth. Educated at Maitland and at Sydney College. Returned to Morpeth; wrote for the press; shareholder and one of 4 managers from 1856 until 1858, Noted by leading liberals and was appointed Clerk of Petty Sessions at Stony Creek on 30 November 1858, magistrate in 1859; when elected to the Legislative Assembly, salary was paid for by constituents; admitted to Bar on 26 October 1861; practised in Sydney; Successful land speculator. In 1880s was a director of City Bank of Sydney., Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited, Mercantile Building, Land and Investment Company Limited and of Civil Service Co-op and civil service permanent building societies. Trustee of National Park. Member of Council of Education from 1879 until 1881. Commissioner of Philadelphia International Exhibition in 1876.
Military Service
Honours Received
Queens Counsel in 1879. Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1887.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of John Wisdom, collector of customs, and Alice McGuiness. Married Elizabeth Avard on 23 August 1855 at Hexham, and had issue, 3 daughters and 3 sons. Church of England.
Additional Information
Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: papers, 1847 - 1900 (MLMSS 7271); photographs in the PICMAN Database.

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.