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Former Member Details

Mr Elias Carpenter WEEKES (1809 - 1881)

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Date of Birth: 13/07/1809
Place of Birth: London, England
Date of Death: 05/08/1881
Place of Death: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 24 Oct 1865 24 Nov 1880 15 years 1 month 1 day Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 10 July 1865
Standing Orders Committee No.2 19 Oct 1864 09 Nov 1864 22 days
Tom Dight Mackenzie Committee No.38 01 Apr 1864 21 Apr 1864 21 days
Commercial Banking Company’s Act Amendment Bill No.14 11 Aug 1863 14 Aug 1863 4 days
Standing Orders Committee No.2 24 Jun 1863 10 Dec 1863 5 months 17 days
Bonded Distilleries and Sugar Houses Bill Committee No.12 03 Jul 1862 02 Sep 1862 2 months Chairman
Customs Bill Committee No.11 26 Jun 1862 20 Dec 1862 5 months 25 days Chairman
Pilot Board Committee No.9 17 Jun 1862 07 Oct 1862 3 months 21 days
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 27 May 1862 27 May 1862 1 day
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 03 Sep 1861 03 Sep 1861 1 day
Grievances Committee No.13 29 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 13 days
Petition of Mr N.L Kentish Committee No.7 23 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 19 days
Member for West Maitland 18 Dec 1860 10 Nov 1864 3 years 10 months 24 days
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
Petition of Mr N.L Kentish Committee No.4 27 Sep 1860 09 Nov 1860 1 month 14 days
Seizure of Opium per “Kate Hooper” Committee No.41 13 Apr 1860 04 Jul 1860 2 months 22 days
Member for West Maitland 16 Mar 1860 10 Nov 1860 7 months 26 days
Colonial Treasurer 09 Mar 1860 20 Mar 1863 3 years 12 days
Maitland Pasturage Reserve Committee No.34 16 Feb 1860 04 Jul 1860 4 months 19 days
Sydney Insurance Company’s Act Amendment Bill Committee No.33 04 Feb 1860 04 Jul 1860 5 months 1 day Chairman
Member for West Maitland 20 Jun 1859 11 Apr 1859 0 days
Colonial Treasurer 18 Apr 1859 26 Oct 1859 6 months 9 days
Member for West Maitland 11 Apr 1859 08 Mar 1860 10 months 27 days
Railway to Morpeth Committee No.7 21 Dec 1858 09 Apr 1859 3 months 20 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.4 09 Dec 1858 09 Apr 1859 4 months 1 day
Railway to Morpeth Committee No.31 31 Aug 1858 26 Nov 1858 2 months 27 days
Railway Accident Committee No.28 14 Jul 1858 26 Nov 1858 4 months 13 days
Pyrmont Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.19 18 May 1858 26 Nov 1858 6 months 9 days
Registration and Preservation of Records Committee No.13 23 Apr 1858 26 Nov 1858 7 months 4 days
Customs Department Committee No.12 20 Apr 1858 26 Nov 1858 7 months 7 days
Retrenchment in the Public Expenditure Committee No.11 20 Apr 1858 26 Nov 1858 7 months 7 days
Alluvial Lands of the Hunter Committee No.10 16 Apr 1858 26 Nov 1858 7 months 11 days
Question of Privilege – Governor General’s Answer to Address on proposed dispatch of Artillery to Indi 16 Apr 1858 26 Nov 1858 7 months 11 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.7 26 Mar 1858 26 Nov 1858 8 months 1 day By Speaker's Warrant
Member for Northumberland Borough 27 Jan 1858 11 Apr 1859 1 year 2 months 16 days
Australian Gas Company’s Light Bill Committee No.16 13 Nov 1857 18 Dec 1857 1 month 6 days
Pyrmont Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.15 13 Nov 1857 18 Dec 1857 1 month 6 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
Burwood Tramroad Continuation Act Amendment Bill Committee No.14 30 Oct 1857 18 Dec 1857 1 month 19 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee 27 Oct 1857 18 Dec 1857 1 month 22 days By Speaker's Warrant
Reclaiming Land, Woolloomooloo Bay Committee 25 Aug 1857 18 Dec 1857 3 months 24 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
Administration of Justice and Conduct of Official Business in Country Districts Committee No.20 11 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months 8 days
Civil Service Superannuation Fund Committee No.19 11 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months 8 days
Deepening the River Hunter Committee No.16 04 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months 15 days
Customs Department Committee No.15 31 Oct 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months 18 days
Electric Telegraph Committee No.14 31 Oct 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months 18 days
Petition of Peter Rawlings Committee No.5 03 Jun 1856 18 Mar 1857 9 months 16 days
Member for Cumberland (South Riding) 09 Apr 1856 05 Aug 1856 3 months 28 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 09 Apr 1856 10 Nov 1864 8 years 7 months 2 days
Member for Northumberland Boroughs 28 Mar 1856 19 Dec 1857 1 year 8 months 22 days
Political Party Activity
Community Activity
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Ironmonger. Worked in commercial occupations in England. Arrived in New South Wales c.1837. Worked for Sydney merchant; acquired Travellers Rest Inn on Murrumbidgee in 1842. In 1844 entered a partnership with John Holdsworth as a wine importer; in 1850 was an ironmonger and wine merchant. By 1855 had formed E.C Weeks & Co., ironmongers with son Charles and a partner in London. Auditor of Bank of New South Wales in 1850s, director in 1863, 1866 until 1868, 1869 until 1875. In 1860s and 1870s was a director and sometime chairman of United Insurance Company Limited and trustee of Savings Bank of New South Wales. In same period was vice president of Australian Library and Literary Institution, also member of Hyde Park Improvement Committee. Involved with Sir Henry Parkes and others in political activity in late 1840s and early 1850s; on committee of Anti-transportation Association in 1850; opposed conservative Constitution Bill in 1853, but did not join Constitution Committee although it claimed him as a member. A leading liberal in conflicts with conservatives in late 1850s and early 1860s.
Military Service
Honours Received
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Alderman of the Sydney City Council from 4 November 1850 to 31 December 1853
Personal
Youngest son of John Weekes, assistant master shipwright at Chatham Dockyard, and Elizabeth Orton. Married Margaret Wye in 1830 at London and they had 3 daughters and 2 sons.
Additional Information
Australian Dictionary of Biography (ADB), Volume 6.

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.