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Former Member Details

Mr John SUTHERLAND (1816 - 1889)

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Date of Birth: 16/02/1816
Place of Birth: near Wick, Caithness, Scotland
Date of Death: 23/06/1889
Place of Death: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Illawarra Harbour and Land Corporation Bill Committee No.9 11 Apr 1889 05 Jun 1889 1 month 26 days
Member for Redfern 02 Feb 1889 23 Jun 1889 4 months 22 days
Silkstone Coal-mine Railway Bill Committee No.14 19 Dec 1888 15 Jan 1889 28 days
Goulburn and Tuena Tramway Bill Committee No.58 07 Jun 1888 19 Jun 1888 13 days
Broken Hill Water Supply Bill Committee No.51 04 Apr 1888 21 Jun 1888 2 months 18 days
Kiama Tramway Act Amendment Bill Committee No.49 01 Mar 1888 10 Apr 1888 1 month 12 days
Oakey Park Coal mining Company’s Railway Bill Committee No.42 10 Feb 1888 27 Mar 1888 1 month 18 days
Sydney Hydraulic Power Company’s Bill Committee No.43 10 Feb 1888 22 Mar 1888 1 month 13 days
Land resumed by the Government for Railway purposes at Bexley Committee No.34 16 Dec 1887 24 Jul 1888 7 months 9 days
Removal of Railway Engine-sheds from Dubbo to Wellington Committee No.35 16 Dec 1887 24 Jul 1888 7 months 9 days
Victorian Coal-mining Company’s Extension Bill Committee No.32 29 Nov 1887 01 Dec 1887 3 days
Broken Hill Tramway Bill Committee No.28 17 Nov 1887 28 Feb 1888 3 months 12 days
Resumption of Edward Irby’s Land at Bluff River Committee No.27 15 Nov 1887 31 May 1888 6 months 17 days
Combination Trucks Committee No.25 08 Nov 1887 20 Jul 1888 8 months 13 days
North Shore, Manly and Pittwater Tramway and Railway Bill Committee No.18 12 Oct 1887 25 Oct 1887 14 days
Claim of Joseph Richardson against the Roads Department Committee No.12 29 Sep 1887 24 Jul 1888 9 months 26 days
Claim of Mrs Butterley Committee No.5 21 Sep 1887 12 Nov 1887 1 month 23 days
West Wallsend and Monk Wearmouth Act Amendment Bill Committee No.27 09 Jun 1887 16 Jun 1887 8 days
Hay and Deniliquin Tramway Bill Committee No.26 02 Jun 1887 30 Jun 1887 29 days
Willoughby and Gordon Tramway Bill Committee No.25 19 May 1887 01 Jun 1887 14 days
Mittagong Coal Mining Company’s Railway Act Amendment Bill Committee No.23 18 May 1887 08 Jun 1887 22 days
Railway Free Passes – Special Trains Committee No.10 29 Mar 1887 13 Jul 1887 3 months 15 days
Tramway from Kogarah to Sans Souci Committee No.9 22 Mar 1887 13 Jul 1887 3 months 22 days
Member for Redfern 05 Feb 1887 19 Jan 1889 1 year 11 months 15 days
Secretary for Public Works 20 Jan 1887 16 Jan 1889 1 year 11 months 28 days
Sullivan’s Estate Bill Committee No.67 21 Oct 1886 25 Oct 1886 5 days
Claim of Matthew McIvor to a Tinmine at Pheasants Creek Committee No.58 23 Jul 1886 27 Aug 1886 1 month 5 days
Barker’s Estate Bill Committee No.11 11 Dec 1885 16 Dec 1885 6 days
St Mary’s Waverley Church of England Land Sale Bill Committee No.13 11 Dec 1885 16 Dec 1885 6 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 20 Nov 1885 22 Dec 1885 1 month 3 days
Member for Redfern 16 Oct 1885 21 Jan 1887 1 year 3 months 6 days
Barker’s Estate Bill Committee No.19 29 Sep 1885 30 Sep 1885 2 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.4 09 Sep 1885 02 Oct 1885 24 days
Purchase of Railway Rolling Stock Committee No.56 12 Aug 1884 29 Oct 1884 2 months 18 days
Claim of Matthew McIvor to a Tin Mine at Pheasant’s Creek Committee No.42 25 Mar 1884 09 Oct 1884 6 months 15 days
Boroughs of Randwick and Paddington Bill Committee No.23 07 Dec 1883 05 Mar 1884 2 months 28 days
Oddfellows Hall, Elizabeth street Committee No.18 22 Nov 1883 09 Oct 1884 10 months 18 days Chairman
Member for Redfern 04 Dec 1882 07 Oct 1885 2 years 10 months 4 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 29 Nov 1882 29 Nov 1882 1 day Did not take his seat. Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 29 December 1881
Member for Redfern 19 Nov 1880 29 Dec 1881 1 year 1 month 11 days
Railway through the City of Sydney Committee No.5 30 Oct 1879 13 Jul 1880 8 months 14 days
Claim of Messrs Kelleher and Fitzgerald Committee No.10 01 Oct 1878 24 Jul 1879 9 months 24 days
Sydney Tramway and Omnibus Company (Limited) Bill Committee No.3 23 Jan 1878 20 Mar 1878 1 month 26 days
Member for Paddington 28 Dec 1877 03 Feb 1880 2 years 1 month 7 days
Secretary for Public Works 18 Dec 1877 20 Dec 1878 1 year 3 days
Member for Paddington 23 Oct 1877 18 Dec 1877 1 month 26 days
The Case of Alfred Arnold Committee No.24 16 May 1876 27 Jun 1876 1 month 12 days
Endowment to Municipal Council of Paddington Committee No.11 11 Jan 1876 29 Mar 1876 2 months 19 days Chairman
Petition of Messrs. Blomfield and Munford Committee No.9 20 Apr 1875 11 Aug 1875 3 months 23 days
Member for Paddington 08 Dec 1874 12 Oct 1877 2 years 10 months 5 days
Wharf Accommodation, Sydney Harbour Committee No.30 29 Apr 1874 25 Jun 1874 1 month 28 days
Claim of William Henry Baron Committee No.23 16 Jan 1874 25 Jun 1874 5 months 10 days
Sydney and Suburban Streets Tramways Bill Committee No.18 21 Nov 1873 19 Dec 1873 29 days
Sydney United Omnibus Company’s Tramways Bill Committee No.17 19 Nov 1873 25 Jun 1874 7 months 7 days
Bowenfels Coal Mining and Cooper Smelting Company’s Railway Bill Committee No.23 07 Feb 1873 11 Feb 1873 5 days
Petition of George Bell Committee No.19 20 Dec 1872 25 Apr 1873 4 months 6 days
Wharf Accommodation, Sydney Harbour Committee No.7 13 Nov 1872 24 Apr 1873 5 months 12 days
St Andrew’s College Committee No.13 02 Jul 1872 13 Aug 1872 1 month 12 days
Member for Paddington 21 May 1872 28 Nov 1874 2 years 6 months 8 days
Secretary for Public Works 15 May 1872 08 Feb 1875 2 years 8 months 25 days
Member for Paddington 20 Feb 1872 14 May 1872 2 months 25 days
Circular Quay Committee No.10 23 Jan 1872 01 Feb 1872 10 days
Coal Staithes at Newcastle Committee No.14 25 Jan 1871 13 Jun 1871 4 months 20 days
Mr Thomas Scott-Sugar Cultivation Committee No.10 20 Sep 1870 16 Mar 1871 5 months 25 days
Mr Richard Henry Wright Committee No.25 27 Apr 1870 07 May 1870 11 days
Claims of Bartholomew Rush Committee No.24 12 Apr 1870 07 May 1870 26 days
Mr Alexander Walker Scott – Land taken by Hunter River Railway Committee No.9 18 Feb 1870 29 Mar 1870 1 month 12 days
Mr Thomas Scott – Sugar Cultivation Committee No.8 15 Feb 1870 04 May 1870 2 months 20 days
Public Vehicles and Boats Committee No.6 08 Feb 1870 29 Apr 1870 2 months 22 days
Railway Extension Committee No.5 03 Feb 1870 25 Mar 1870 1 month 23 days
Member for Paddington 04 Dec 1869 03 Feb 1872 2 years 2 months
Town Hall Committee No.16 10 Nov 1869 13 Nov 1869 4 days
Railway Extension Committee No.15 28 Oct 1869 11 Nov 1869 15 days
Mr Alexander Walker Scott – Land taken by Hunter River Railway Committee No.5 01 Oct 1869 11 Nov 1869 1 month 12 days
Water Frontage at Blue’s Point North Shore Committee No.18 02 Mar 1869 22 Mar 1869 21 days
Sydney Boundaries Amendment Bill Committee No:15 12 Feb 1869 16 Mar 1869 1 month 5 days
Randwick and Coogee Roads Transfer Bill Committee No.10 15 Jan 1869 29 Jan 1869 15 days
Member for Paddington 10 Nov 1868 15 Nov 1869 1 year 6 days
Secretary for Public Works 27 Oct 1868 15 Dec 1870 2 years 1 month 19 days
Petition of Thomas Larkin Committee No.13 27 Sep 1867 21 Apr 1868 6 months 26 days
Shipwrecks and Loss of Life on the Coast Committee No.10. 03 Sep 1867 18 Dec 1867 3 months 16 days
St Andrew’s Cathedral Close Bill Committee No.8 02 Jul 1867 27 Apr 1868 9 months 26 days
City of Newcastle Gas and Coke Company’s Incorporation Bill Committee No.21 22 Nov 1866 29 Nov 1866 8 days
The Unemployed Committee No.19 01 Nov 1866 04 Dec 1866 1 month 4 days
Exchange of Land Scots Church Sydney Legalizing Bill Committee No.15 10 Oct 1866 31 Oct 1866 22 days
Parramatta Market Bill Committee No. 05 Oct 1866 11 Oct 1866 7 days
Disease in Fruit Trees Committee No.5 31 Jul 1866 13 Sep 1866 1 month 14 days
Reserve, Lavender Bay Committee No.6 31 Jul 1866 23 Oct 1866 2 months 23 days Chairman
Reserve, Lavender Bay Committee No.16 06 Mar 1866 29 Mar 1866 24 days
Reserves under Crown Lands Alienation Act Committee No.15 23 Feb 1866 04 Apr 1866 1 month 13 days
Exchange of Land Scots Church, Sydney, Legalizing Bill Committee No.13 15 Dec 1865 23 Feb 1866 2 months 9 days
Present State of the Colony Committee No.7 07 Nov 1865 28 Mar 1866 4 months 22 days
Disease in Fruit Trees Committee No.6 31 Oct 1865 07 Apr 1866 5 months 8 days
Mortgage on the Property of the Scots Church, Sydney Committee No.18 16 May 1865 07 Jun 1865 23 days
Mr Austin Forrest Wilshire (Tanneries, & c.) 03 May 1865 08 Jun 1865 1 month 6 days
Parramatta Market Bill Committee No.14 02 May 1865 09 May 1865 8 days
Australian Paper Company’s Bill Committee No.11 11 Apr 1865 04 May 1865 24 days
Railway through Ultimo Estate No.10 31 Mar 1865 09 Jun 1865 2 months 10 days
Claims of Tenants of the Crown Committee No.8 14 Mar 1865 28 Apr 1865 1 month 15 days
Presbyterian Church Bill Committee No.7 14 Mar 1865 24 Mar 1865 11 days
Member for Paddington 23 Nov 1864 27 Oct 1868 3 years 11 months 5 days
Bank of New South Wales Incorporation Act Amendment Bill Committee No.32 16 Feb 1864 22 Apr 1864 2 months 7 days
Mortgage on the property of the Scots Church, Sydney – Claims of Dr Lang Committee No.23 15 Sep 1863 22 Apr 1864 7 months 8 days
Railway through Ultimo Estate Committee No.20 15 Sep 1863 19 Apr 1864 7 months 5 days
Cardiff Coal Company’s Incorporation Bill Committee No.17 04 Sep 1863 10 Sep 1863 7 days
Exchange of Land, Scots Church, Jamison street, Legalizing Bill Committee No.16 04 Sep 1863 01 Apr 1864 6 months 29 days
Robert Stewart Committee No.13 11 Aug 1863 20 Oct 1863 2 months 10 days
Petition of Thomas Duke Allen Committee No.11 21 Jul 1863 08 Dec 1863 4 months 18 days
Railway through Ultimo Estate No.44 02 Dec 1862 20 Dec 1862 19 days
Petition of Thomas Duke Allen Committee No.43 19 Nov 1862 19 Dec 1862 1 month 1 day
Pawnbrokers Bill Committee No.35 03 Oct 1862 20 Dec 1862 2 months 18 days
Botany Railway Company’s Bill Committee No.29 16 Sep 1862 25 Sep 1862 10 days
State of Manufactures and Agriculture in the Colony Committee No.26 02 Sep 1862 12 Dec 1862 3 months 11 days
Exchange of Land, Scots Church, Jamison-street, legalizing Bill Committee No.24 12 Aug 1862 14 Nov 1862 3 months 3 days
Tanners and Curriers Bill of 1859-60 Committee No.18 05 Aug 1862 19 Sep 1862 1 month 15 days
Pitt Street Tramway Committee No.16 25 Jul 1862 12 Dec 1862 4 months 18 days
Field of Mars Common Committee No.5 03 Jun 1862 26 Sep 1862 3 months 24 days
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 27 May 1862 27 May 1862 1 day
Field of Mars Common Committee No.22 31 Dec 1861 20 Jan 1862 21 days
System of Railway Locomotion proposed by Mr E.Bell Committee No.18 12 Nov 1861 20 Jan 1862 2 months 9 days
Benevolent Asylum, Sydney Committee No.8 27 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 3 months 25 days
Tanners and Curriers Bill Committee No.27 27 Mar 1861 11 May 1861 1 month 15 days
Sydney Revenues Improvement Bill Committee No.25 01 Mar 1861 11 May 1861 2 months 13 days
Petition of Mrs Mary Jones Committee No.11 29 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 13 days
Public Prisons in Sydney and Cumberland Committee No.8 23 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 19 days
Departure of the Governor General Committee No.4 15 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 27 days
Member for Paddington 06 Dec 1860 10 Nov 1864 3 years 11 months 5 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 06 Dec 1860 23 Jun 1889 28 years 6 months 18 days
Political Party Activity
Community Activity
Commissioned as a Justice of the Peace (JP).
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Builder; grazier; businessman. Had little formal education and trained as carpenter. Paid passage to New South Wales in 1838; after early struggles prospered as a builder and retired in 1860. In 1863 with John Frazer and West Manson took up 287 square miles near Port Denison, Queensland; Held another 250 square miles in the South Kennedy district; and held Lindisfarne in North Gregory district in 1870s. In 1873 with Sir Henry Parkes took up 3,760 acres of mineral leases near Jamberoo and held another 408 under conditional purchase. Despite backing from Sir Saul Samuel, John Frazer and others, failed in attempts to mine coal there. Partner in Lithgow Valley Iron Mining Company by 1878. Chairman of the Australia Mutual Fire Insurance Society. By 1871 Trustee of the Mutual Benefit Building Society. Trustee of the Savings Bank of New South Wales. From 1860s was a vice-president of Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts and on Committee Benevolent Society of New South Wales. Freemason (England constitution); connected with Oddfellows' and Foresters' friendly societies; a vice-president of Highland Society of New South Wales. Member of the Board of Technical Education from 1883. Professed himself a 'workingman's MP', advocated improved working conditions and wages, had cordial relations with the Trades and Labour Council. Estate valued at 5,11,286 but had heavy liabilities; the memorial fund to support his widow was supported by the Trades and Labour Council. Buried with Masonic rites in the Congregational section of cemetery.
Military Service
Honours Received
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Alderman of the Sydney City Council for Phillip Ward, 30 April 1857 until 30 November 1868 and 1 December 1871 until July 1872. Mayor 1861.
Personal
Son of John Sutherland, crofter, and his wife Louisa Thompson. Married Mary Ogilvie on 2 May 1839 of Campbelltown, and had issue 2 sons and 1 daughter.
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.