James Macarthur (Australian politician)
| James Macarthur | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born |
15 December 1798 Parramatta, New South Wales |
| Died | 21 April 1867 (aged 68) Camden Park Estate, N.S.W. |
James Macarthur (15 December 1798 – 21 April 1867) was an Australian pastoralist and politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council on three occasions between 1839 and 1843, 1848 and 1856 and finally from 1866 until his death. He was also a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1856 and 1859.
Macarthur was the fourth son of John Macarthur and his wife Elizabeth. He was initially privately educated in Parramatta but accompanied his father to England in 1809 in the aftermath of the Rum Rebellion. He stayed in Europe throughout his father's exile and completed his education in Hackney before undertaking a grand tour. On arriving back in the colony in 1817, he was given responsibility for managing his father's Camden estates. He did this assiduously and greatly increased the family's wealth and property during the next 10 years. He was also a director of numerous colonial companies including the failing Australian Agricultural Company. During two trips to England between 1827 and 1832 and in 1837-38, he improved the company's affairs and did much to promote New South Wales.
Macarthur was first appointed to the Legislative Council when it was a fully nominated house on 24 October 1839. At the first election for the council after the reforms of 1842, he unsuccessfully contested the seat of County of Cumberland. After the failure of this election campaign he refused a nomination to the house but re-entered it is as the member for County of Camden after winning that seat at the election of 1848. He retained this seat until responsible self-government was granted in 1856. At the first election under the new constitution he was elected to the Legislative Assembly as one of the two members for West Camden and he continued to represent this seat until he retired from public life at the 1859 election. Macarthur was granted a life appointment to the Legislative Council on 24 July 1866.
...
Wikipedia