William Nicholson (Australian politician)
| William Nicholson | |
|---|---|
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| 3rd Premier of Victoria | |
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In office 27 October 1859 – 26 November 1860 |
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| Preceded by | John O'Shanassy |
| Succeeded by | Richard Heales |
| 8th Mayor of Melbourne | |
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In office 1850–1851 |
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| Preceded by | Augustus Frederick Adolphus Greeves |
| Succeeded by | John Thomas Smith |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 February 1816 Whitehaven, Cumberland, England |
| Died | 10 March 1865 (aged 49) St Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse(s) | Hannah, née Dalziel |
| Religion | Anglican |
William Nicholson (27 February 1816 – 10 March 1865) was an Australian colonial politician who became the third Premier of Victoria. He is remembered for having been called the "father of the ballot" due to his responsibility in introducing the secret ballot in Victoria.
Nicholson was born in Whitehaven, Cumberland, the son of an Anglican farmer. At the age of twenty six, in 1842, he emigrated to Australia, setting up business as a grocer in Melbourne. He was a successful businessman and became the head of a merchant firm, W. Nicholson and Company. In 1848 Nicholson was elected to the Melbourne City Council, and served as Mayor of Melbourne (1850–51). He was also a director of the Bank of Victoria and several other companies.
In 1852, Nicholson won another election, to the Legislative Council for North Bourke. In 1853, he became a member of the committee which drafted the Constitution of Victoria, and on 18 December 1855, Nicholson moved and carried a motion which stated that any Victorian electoral act should include voting by secret ballot. This move was opposed by the government at the time, under Premier William Haines, and after the motion was passed, Haines resigned.
Although it was actually Henry Chapman who devised the secret ballot motion, the fact that Nicholson moved it, gained him the credit, and when Haines resigned, he was invited by the Governor of Victoria Sir Charles Hotham to form a government, but he was unable to do so, and Haines became Premier again.
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