The Honourable Sir Frederick Whitaker KCMG |
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Frederick Whitaker, ca 1870s
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5th Premier of New Zealand | |
In office 30 October 1863 – 24 November 1864 21 April 1882 – 25 September 1883 |
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Monarch | Victoria |
Governor |
George Grey Arthur Hamilton-Gordon William Jervois |
Preceded by |
Alfred Domett (1863) John Hall (1882) |
Succeeded by |
Frederick Weld (1864) Harry Atkinson (1883) |
Constituency | Legislative Council |
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Parnell |
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In office 1866 – 1867 |
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Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Waikato |
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In office 1876 – 1879 |
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2nd Speaker of the Legislative Council | |
In office 1855–1856 |
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Preceded by | William Swainson |
Succeeded by | Thomas Bartley |
1st Attorney-General | |
In office 7 May 1856 – 20 May 1856 |
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In office 2 June 1856 – 12 July 1861 |
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Personal details | |
Born |
Bampton, Oxfordshire, England |
23 April 1812
Died | 4 December 1891 Auckland, New Zealand |
(aged 79)
Political party | Independent |
Spouse(s) | Jane Augusta Griffith (m. 1843; d. 1884) |
Relations | Alexander Shepherd (father-in-law) |
Children | Eight, including: Frederick Alexander Whitaker |
Sir Frederick Whitaker KCMG (23 April 1812 – 4 December 1891) was an English-born New Zealand politician who served twice as the Prime Minister of New Zealand and six times as Attorney-General.
Whitaker was born at the Deanery Manor House, Bampton, Oxfordshire, England on 23 April 1812, the son of Frederick Whitaker and Susanna Whitaker (née Humfrey). Frederick junior undertook a legal education and became a solicitor and attorney at the age of 27. A year later he sailed to Australia and then New Zealand. He married Jane Augusta Griffith, stepdaughter of Alexander Shepherd (Colonial Treasurer) at St. Paul's Church in Auckland on 4 March 1843.
Whitaker lived in Auckland and was appointed a County Court judge until this position was abolished in 1844, at which time he returned to work as a lawyer. He was appointed to the General Legislative Council on 3 March 1845 until 22 December of that year. He was then appointed to the Legislative Council of New Ulster Province, but that Council had not met when the new Constitution arrived. He transferred to the new Legislative Council on 26 May 1853 and remained a member until his resignation on 19 December 1864. He was again appointed on 8 October 1879 and remained a member until his death 12 years later. He also served as a major in the militia.
He was elected onto the Auckland Provincial Council on 19 October 1854 for the Suburbs of Auckland electorate, and he served until 25 September 1855. He was appointed to the Auckland Executive Council from 14 March 1854 to 22 January 1855 and was the provincial law officer.