James Morrison | |
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Member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia |
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In office 13 December 1887 – 21 October 1890 |
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Preceded by | William Loton |
Succeeded by | None (council reconstituted) |
Constituency | None (nominated by governor) |
In office 24 December 1890 – 4 June 1894 |
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Preceded by | None (new creation) |
Succeeded by | None (council reconstituted) |
Constituency | None (nominated by governor) |
Personal details | |
Born |
Islington, London, England |
25 June 1846
Died | 24 December 1927 North Perth, Western Australia, Australia |
(aged 81)
James Morrison (25 June 1846 – 24 December 1927) was an Australian businessman and politician in Western Australia. He owned land in Perth and the Wheatbelt, and served as a director of various companies. Morrison was a nominated member of Legislative Council from 1887 to 1894, and subsequently made two unsuccessful runs for parliament.
Morrison was born in Islington, London, England, to Christina (née McLaren) and Joseph Robert Morrison. His father came from a mercantile family which had business connections in Australia and New Zealand. Morrison moved to New Zealand in 1863, and then to Melbourne, where he managed a family business for a few years before going on to Western Australia in 1868. In Perth, Morrison set up as a and station agent. He served as a director of various insurance and finance companies, and acquired land in Guildford and York. He also had a property on the Perth–Fremantle Road which he named the Claremont Estate (after his wife, Clara). The name was later extended to the surrounding suburb.
In 1887, Morrison was nominated to the Legislative Council by the governor, Sir Frederick Broome. The council was dissolved in October 1890 and reconstituted in December 1890 as the upper house of the new bicameral Parliament of Western Australia. Morrison was renominated, and served until it was again dissolved in June 1894, becoming a fully elective body. He contested the 1894 elections, standing in East Province, but only finished fifth out of six candidates. Morrison ran for the Legislative Assembly at the 1897 election, but was defeated by William Loton in the seat of Swan.