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Former Member Details

Mr James Nixon BRUNKER (1832 - 1910)

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Date of Birth: 22/04/1832
Place of Birth: Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death: 05/12/1910
Place of Death: West Maitland, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Minister without portfolio and Member of the Executive Council 12 Jun 1905 01 Oct 1907 2 years 3 months 20 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 12 Jun 1905 26 Jun 1909 4 years 15 days Life Appointment under the Constitution Act: Date of Writ of Summons 12 June 1905.
Alleged Evasion of the Arbitration Act Committee No.13 04 Sep 1903 23 Sep 1903 20 days
Carriage of Newspapers on Government Railways Committee No.10 20 Jun 1902 19 Dec 1902 6 months
Lease of the Kensington Racecourse Committee No.7 17 Jun 1902 31 Jul 1902 1 month 15 days
Wagga Wagga Cattle driving Bill Committee No.13 22 Oct 1901 17 Dec 1901 1 month 26 days
Removal from the Public Service of Mr Frederick Glynn Committee No.3 06 Aug 1901 19 Dec 1901 4 months 14 days
Member for East Maitland 03 Jul 1901 16 Jul 1904 3 years 14 days
Claim of Mr Sherlock Barron, North Botany Committee No.10 15 Aug 1899 23 Nov 1899 3 months 9 days
Estate of the late S.M Swift of Petersham Committee No.23 13 Dec 1898 22 Dec 1898 10 days
Member for East Maitland 27 Jul 1898 11 Jun 1901 2 years 10 months 16 days
Nyngan Town Hall (Mortgage) Bill Committee No. 22 17 Nov 1897 10 Dec 1897 24 days
Claim of Richardson, Turner & Co Committee No.36 21 Oct 1896 12 Nov 1896 23 days
Maitland Gaslight Act Amendment Bill Committee No.32 14 Oct 1896 27 Oct 1896 14 days
Borough of Lithgow Validating Bill Committee No.31 07 Oct 1896 21 Oct 1896 15 days
Senior Sergeant Vaughan’s Reduction and Removal from Narrandera Committee No.24 08 Sep 1896 29 Oct 1896 1 month 22 days
Claim of Captain Rossi Committee No.20 28 Jul 1896 11 Nov 1896 3 months 15 days
Case of Staff Sergeant W.Jiffkins Committee No.11 30 Jun 1896 26 Aug 1896 1 month 28 days
The Abattoirs Committee No.8 02 Jun 1896 12 Nov 1896 5 months 11 days
Borough of Redfern Electric Lighting Bill Committee No.11 08 Oct 1895 17 Oct 1895 10 days
Dismissal of Constable Easterbrook Committee No.7 17 Sep 1895 20 Nov 1895 2 months 4 days
Member for East Maitland 24 Jul 1895 08 Jul 1898 2 years 11 months 15 days
Address of Condolence to Lady Duff. Committee No. 16 19 Mar 1895 05 Jul 1895 3 months 17 days
Appropriation Bill. Committee No. 15 21 Dec 1894 05 Jul 1895 6 months 15 days
Member for East Maitland 09 Aug 1894 05 Jul 1895 10 months 27 days
Colonial Secretary 03 Aug 1894 13 Sep 1899 5 years 1 month 11 days
Member for East Maitland 17 Jul 1894 03 Aug 1894 18 days
Agricultural Holdings Bill Committee No.24 18 Apr 1893 30 May 1893 1 month 13 days
Conditional Purchase by Mrs Ann Rouse, in the parish of Kahibah Committee No.33 01 Feb 1892 26 Feb 1892 26 days
Conditional purchase by Zachary Benn, Richmond River District Committee No.34 01 Feb 1892 22 Feb 1892 22 days
Conditional Purchase by James Young, at Gosford Committee No.30 21 Dec 1891 04 Feb 1892 1 month 15 days
Application for a Free Pass made by Mr Black, MP Committee No.27 17 Dec 1891 21 Mar 1892 3 months 5 days
Forfeiture of J.J Ray’s selection in the Land District of Wagga Wagga Committee No.22 29 Sep 1891 09 Dec 1891 2 months 11 days
Conditional Purchase made by Anne Nash O’Brien, at Corowa Committee No.21 16 Sep 1891 15 Mar 1892 6 months
Conditional Purchases of Neil Gallagher, Orange Committee No.20 15 Sep 1891 25 Nov 1891 2 months 11 days
Selection made by James Connelly, at Tamworth Committee No.16 25 Aug 1891 01 Apr 1892 7 months 8 days
Mort’s Dock and Engineering Company (Limited) Enabling Bill Committee No.11 11 Aug 1891 25 Aug 1891 15 days
Maitland Electric Light Bill Committee No.8 05 Aug 1891 14 Oct 1891 2 months 10 days
Member for East Maitland 17 Jun 1891 25 Jun 1894 3 years 9 days
Conditional Purchase made by Annie Nash O’Brien, at Corowa Committee No.6 26 May 1891 02 Jun 1891 8 days
Case of Staff Sergeant W.Jiffkins Committee No.13 24 Apr 1891 09 May 1894 3 years 16 days
Conditional Purchase made by Anne Nash O’Brien at Corowa Committee No.47 16 Dec 1890 20 Dec 1890 5 days
Conditional Purchase made by Maurice Bush, District Urana Committee No.46 16 Dec 1890 20 Dec 1890 5 days
Forfeited Selection of J.J Ray Committee No.44 02 Dec 1890 20 Dec 1890 19 days
Forfeiture of Henry Crowe’s Conditional Purchase, county of Harden Committee No.39 04 Nov 1890 12 Dec 1890 1 month 9 days
Calaghan’s Conditional Purchases, Braidwood and Queanbeyan Committee No.32 09 Sep 1890 30 Oct 1890 1 month 22 days
Elizabeth Ann Cartwright’s Additional Conditional Purchases Committee No.31 09 Sep 1890 06 Nov 1890 1 month 29 days
Conditional Purchases of J.Smith, JMD Sullivan, and A.Campbell, Land District of Lismore Committee No.28 26 Aug 1890 20 Dec 1890 3 months 25 days
McIlveen & Clift’s Conditional Purchase Committee No.22 01 Jul 1890 30 Sep 1890 3 months
Claim of E.K Crace to Crown Land adjoining Gungahleen Estate Committee No.20 24 Jun 1890 14 Oct 1890 3 months 21 days
Land corner Pitt and Bridge Streets Committee No.21 24 Jun 1890 20 Dec 1890 5 months 27 days
Ryan’s Conditional Purchases at Wagga Wagga Committee No.17 03 Jun 1890 18 Dec 1890 6 months 16 days
Selection made by James Connelly at Tamworth Committee No.12 01 May 1890 20 Dec 1890 7 months 20 days
Conditional Purchases of C.H Thatcher, Forbes Land District Committee No.6 30 Apr 1890 23 Sep 1890 4 months 25 days
Conditional Purchases of C.H Thatcher, Forbes Land District Committee No.8 03 Dec 1889 17 Dec 1889 15 days
Illawarra Harbour and Land Corporation Bill Committee No.6 03 Dec 1889 17 Dec 1889 15 days
Conditional Purchase of Zachary Benn, Richmond River District Committee No.26 19 Jul 1889 30 Jul 1889 12 days
Selections by John Harrison, of Lismore Committee No.25 19 Jul 1889 23 Jul 1889 5 days
Claim of Isaac Barclay Committee No.22 05 Jul 1889 17 Jul 1889 13 days
Robert Munford’s Conditional Purchases made at Molong Committee No.21 03 Jul 1889 17 Jul 1889 15 days
Bathurst Cattle Sale Yards Bill Committee No.12 16 May 1889 29 May 1889 14 days
Illawarra Harbour and Land Corporation Bill Committee No.9 11 Apr 1889 05 Jun 1889 1 month 26 days
Conditional Purchases made upon Barratta Run Committee No.3 02 Apr 1889 04 Sep 1889 5 months 3 days
Member for East Maitland 18 Mar 1889 06 Jun 1891 2 years 2 months 20 days
Secretary for Lands 08 Mar 1889 22 Oct 1891 2 years 7 months 15 days
Member for East Maitland 02 Feb 1889 08 Mar 1889 1 month 7 days
Conditional Purchase of Evan McIntosh, Currabubula Committee No.10 29 Nov 1888 16 Jan 1889 1 month 19 days
Conditional Purchase of James Connelly, Tamworth Committee No.11 29 Nov 1888 16 Jan 1889 1 month 19 days
Selections by John Harrison, of Lismore Committee No.9 27 Nov 1888 16 Jan 1889 1 month 21 days
Bulli Colliery Disaster Fund Bill Committee No.8 20 Nov 1888 17 Jan 1889 1 month 29 days
Work of Unemployed on Roads at Hornsby and Holt Sutherland Estate Committee No.7 15 Nov 1888 16 Jan 1889 2 months 2 days
Young Wallsend Coal Company’s Railway Bill Committee No.6 01 Nov 1888 08 Nov 1888 8 days
Member for East Maitland 19 Sep 1888 19 Jan 1889 4 months 1 day
Secretary for Lands 29 Aug 1888 16 Jan 1889 4 months 19 days
West Maitland Cattle Sale-yards Bill Committee No.60 12 Jun 1888 14 Jun 1888 3 days Chairman
Teralba Coal mining Reserve Committee No.59 08 Jun 1888 24 Jul 1888 1 month 17 days
Sydney and Suburban Hydraulic Power Company’s Bill Committee No.57 02 May 1888 06 Jun 1888 1 month 5 days Chairman
Trades Conciliation Bill Committee No.53 17 Apr 1888 02 Oct 1890 2 years 5 months 16 days
Broken Hill Water Supply Bill Committee No.51 04 Apr 1888 21 Jun 1888 2 months 18 days Chairman
Hunter street, Newcastle, Extension Bill Committee No.46 29 Feb 1888 03 May 1888 2 months 5 days Chairman
Redhead Coal-mine Railway Act Amending Bill Committee No.36 20 Dec 1887 15 Feb 1888 1 month 27 days
Combination Trucks Committee No.25 08 Nov 1887 20 Jul 1888 8 months 13 days
Mrs Ann Rouse’s Conditional Purchase, parish of Kahibah Committee No.22 25 Oct 1887 06 Jun 1888 7 months 13 days
Church and Perkin Streets, Newcastle Bill Committee No.17 11 Oct 1887 18 Oct 1887 8 days
Purchase by the Government of land adjoining the Australasian Steam Navigation Company’s Wharf Committee No.10 28 Sep 1887 29 Feb 1888 5 months 2 days
Sydney Corporation Act Amendment Bill Committee No.24 19 May 1887 19 May 1887 1 day
Member for East Maitland 10 Feb 1887 29 Aug 1888 1 year 6 months 20 days
Member for East Maitland 13 Oct 1885 26 Jan 1887 1 year 3 months 14 days
Refreshment Room Committee No.4 17 Mar 1885 27 Mar 1885 11 days
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 19 Nov 1884 19 Nov 1884 1 day
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 06 Apr 1883 02 May 1883 27 days
Cohen’s Estate Bill Committee No.18 30 Mar 1883 04 Apr 1883 6 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 18 Jan 1883 02 May 1883 3 months 15 days
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 17 Jan 1883 17 Jan 1883 1 day
Member for East Maitland 04 Dec 1882 07 Oct 1885 2 years 10 months 4 days
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 22 Aug 1882 22 Aug 1882 1 day
Lands granted to the Australian Agricultural Company Committee No.7 08 Jul 1881 13 Dec 1881 5 months 6 days
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 16 Dec 1880 16 Dec 1880 1 day
Member for East Maitland 22 Nov 1880 23 Nov 1882 2 years 2 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 22 Nov 1880 16 Jul 1904 23 years 7 months 25 days
Political Party Activity
Freetrade
Community Activity
Commissioned as a Justice of the Peace in 1865. Director of Mutual Life Association of Australasia 1890 until 1908. Founder of Maitland Mechanics' Institute 1859 and of Hunter River Farmers' Association 1882. Commander International Exhibition, Calcutta 1884, Colonial and Indian Exhibition, London 1886, Centennial Exhibition Melbourne 1888. Member Federal Convention 1897 until 1898.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Stock, station agent and auctioneer. Educated at Christ Church School, Newcastle, and Sydney College. At 14 years old he became assistant Clerk of Petty Sessions at Newcastle. Articled to Carr, Rogers and Owen, Sydney solicitors, but left, apparently through ill health. Clerk to W. H. Whyte, Newcastle. Opened butchery in East Maitland in 1851; then theological student with Bishop of Newcastle but abandoned studies. Joined stock and station agency, West Maitland, 1856; later founded Brunker, Volfe & Badgery, with branch offices in Newcastle and Sydney; partnership dissolved 1893 and Brunker became sole owner of Maitland business; acquired interests in produce marketing, pastoral and coal mining industries; was a successful speculator in urban subdivision on Maitland coalfields; took son into business; partnership dissolved 1907. Author of Temperance Work amongst the Young in 1898. Associated with Henry Parkes (q.v.) from c. 1861, becoming his principal electoral agent in Hunter district. They remained friendly even when Brunker joined Reid's government in 1894. Bankrupted in 1908. Freetrader.
Military Service
Honours Received
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Alderman of East Maitland in 1862
Personal
Son of John Nixon Brunker, wine and spirit merchant, and Mary Ann McGreavy. Married to Elizabeth Hewlett Weiss in 1851, and had issue, ten children. Father died early; mother opened store and supported family. Church of England.
Additional Information
Bankruptcy File in New South Wales State Records (Reference: 10/23570) Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 3 Parliamentary Archives Photograph Collection PA Picture Description Series No. Series Title 136.LA: 52 Group portrait of members of the Legislative Assembly 1895. Supplement to the 'Sydney Mail', Saturday April 13, 1895 PRS 123.LA: 15 Legislative Assembly, Composite Portraits of Members of the Legislative Assembly 309.LA The Government and Legislative Assembly of NSW 1901 when the Commonwealth of Australia Established PRS 123.LA:3 Legislative Assembly, Composite Portraits of Members of the Legislative Assembly 316.LA Miniature of the above 3232.LA:36 Members of the Legislative Assembly in 1880 [from 'First LA elected under New Electorate Act of 1880'] PRS 123.LA:16 Legislative Assembly, Composite Portraits of Members of the Legislative Assembly (copy print, was to have been cut-up and used in albums PRS 111.LA) 4552.L 'First Legislative Assembly of NSW Elected under New Electoral Act of 1880' Miniature composite. Freeman & Co. Sydney [Copy 1] PRS 268.L Parliamentary Library, Main series of correspondence, 1915 (Picture extracted from this series) 4584.LA 'First Legislative Assembly of NSW Elected under New Electorate Act of 1880' Miniature composite. Freeman & Co. Sydney [Copy 2] PRS 123.LA:17 Legislative Assembly, Composite Portraits of Members of the Legislative Assembly

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