Date of Birth: 04/08/1851
Place of Birth: Sydney, New South Wales , Australia
Date of Death: 18/11/1912
Place of Death: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
| Solicitor General |
19 Jul 1893 |
13 Sep 1893 |
1 month 26 days |
|
| Minister of Justice |
23 Oct 1891 |
14 Dec 1893 |
2 years 1 month 22 days |
|
| Member of the NSW Legislative Council |
08 Feb 1888 |
16 Jul 1898 |
10 years 5 months 9 days |
Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 30 December 1887 |
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Lawyer (barrister). Educated at Lyndhurst College. Sydney Grammar, University of Sydney (BA 1871, MA 1873). Crown Prosecutor, resumed private practice in Sydney. Appointed as a Queens Council in 1896; Justice of High Court of Australia 1903 - 1912. First president of Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration 1905 - 1908. Contributed to literary columns of newspapers. Twice declined offer of knighthood.
Honours Received
Wentworth Medal in 1870, University of Sydney.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Member of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. Senator 1901 - 1903.
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of Richard O'Connor, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales 1856 - 1859 and Clerk of the Parliaments & Clerk of the Legislative Council 1860 - 1871, and Mary Harnett. Married Sarah Hensleigh in 1879 and had issue, 4 sons and 2 daughters. Roman Catholic. Requiem Mass in St Mary's Cathedral and burial at Roman Catholic section of Rookwood cemetery.
Additional Information
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 11
Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales:
Richard Edward O'Connor - papers concerning Federation, 1893 - 1900 (DLMS F41)
