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Sir James (1) MARTIN (1820 - 1886)

  • Date of Birth: 14/05/1820
  • Place of Birth: Middleton, Cork, Ireland
  • Date of Death: 04/11/1886
  • Place of Death: Potts Point, New South Wales, Australia

Parliamentary Service

Position Start End Period Parliament Notes
Member of the NSW Legislative Council1 Jul 184830 Jun 184911mth(s) 30day(s)An Elective Member of the first Legislative Council 1843 - 1856 for the Counties of Cook and Westmoreland. Election declared void.
Member of the NSW Legislative Council1 Jul 184930 Jun 18511yr(s) 11mth(s) 30day(s)An Elective Member of the first Legislative Council 1843 - 1856 for the Counties of Cook and Westmoreland.
Member of the NSW Legislative Council1 Sep 185129 Feb 18564yr(s) 5mth(s) 29day(s)An Elective Member of the first Legislative Council 1843 - 1856 for the Counties of Cook and Westmoreland.
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly4 Apr 185611 Nov 187317yr(s) 7mth(s) 8day(s)
Member for Cook and Westmoreland4 Apr 185626 Aug 18564mth(s) 23day(s)1st (1856 - 1857)
Member for Cook and Westmoreland5 Sep 18565 Sep 18561day(s)1st (1856 - 1857)
Member for Cook and Westmoreland19 Sep 185719 Dec 18573mth(s) 1day(s)1st (1856 - 1857)
Member for Cook and Westmoreland20 Jan 185811 Apr 18591yr(s) 2mth(s) 23day(s)2nd (1858 - 1859)
Member for East Sydney9 Jun 185910 Nov 18601yr(s) 5mth(s) 2day(s)3rd (1859 - 1860)
Member for Orange28 Jun 186216 Oct 18631yr(s) 3mth(s) 19day(s)4th (1860 - 1864)
Member for Tumut16 Nov 186310 Nov 186411mth(s) 26day(s)4th (1860 - 1864)
Member for Monaro24 Dec 18647 Mar 18652mth(s) 12day(s)5th (1865 - 1869)
Member for Lachlan28 Dec 186422 Jan 18661yr(s) 26day(s)5th (1865 - 1869)
Member for Lachlan8 Feb 186615 Nov 18693yr(s) 9mth(s) 8day(s)5th (1865 - 1869)
Member for East Sydney3 Dec 186920 Dec 18701yr(s) 18day(s)6th (1870 - 1872)
Member for East Sydney27 Dec 18703 Feb 18721yr(s) 1mth(s) 8day(s)6th (1870 - 1872)
Member for East Macquarie22 Feb 187211 Nov 18731yr(s) 8mth(s) 21day(s)7th (1872 - 1874)
Attorney General26 Aug 18562 Oct 18561mth(s) 7day(s)
Attorney General7 Sep 18578 Nov 18581yr(s) 2mth(s) 2day(s)
Premier 16 Oct 18632 Feb 18651yr(s) 3mth(s) 18day(s)
Premier 22 Jan 186626 Oct 18682yr(s) 9mth(s) 5day(s)
Premier 16 Dec 187013 May 18721yr(s) 4mth(s) 28day(s)
Attorney General16 Oct 18632 Feb 18651yr(s) 3mth(s) 18day(s)
Attorney General22 Jan 186626 Oct 18682yr(s) 9mth(s) 5day(s)
Attorney General16 Dec 187013 May 18721yr(s) 4mth(s) 28day(s)
Library Committee No.43 Jun 185618 Mar 18579mths 16days1st (1856 - 1857)
Standing Order Committee No.33 Jun 185618 Mar 18579mths 16days1st (1856 - 1857)
Petition of Peter Rawlings Committee No.54 Jun 185618 Mar 18579mths 15days1st (1856 - 1857)
Additional Ministerial Department Committee No.1220 Aug 185618 Mar 18576mths 27days1st (1856 - 1857)
Richmond Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.188 Nov 185618 Mar 18574mths 11days1st (1856 - 1857)
Sole Commissioner of Railways Incorporation Bill Committee No.2219 Nov 185618 Mar 18573mths 28days1st (1856 - 1857)
Library Committee12 Aug 185718 Dec 18574mths 7days1st (1856 - 1857)
Standing Order Committee12 Aug 185718 Dec 18574mths 7days1st (1856 - 1857)
St John’s College Bill Committee No.626 Aug 185718 Dec 18573mths 23days1st (1856 - 1857)
Secondary Punishment Committee No.827 Aug 185718 Dec 18573mths 22days1st (1856 - 1857)
Standing Orders Committee No.225 Mar 185826 Nov 18588mths 2days2nd (1858 - 1859)
Library Committee No.325 Mar 185826 Nov 18588mths 2days2nd (1858 - 1859)
Moreton Bay Judge’s Appointment Bill Committee No.631 Mar 185826 Nov 18587mths 27days2nd (1858 - 1859)
Landed Property in cases of Intestacy Descent Bill Committee No.252 Jul 185826 Nov 18584mths 25days2nd (1858 - 1859)
Library Committee No.310 Dec 18589 Apr 18594mths2nd (1858 - 1859)
Standing Orders Committee No.210 Dec 18589 Apr 18594mths2nd (1858 - 1859)
Proposed Vote of Censure on the Attorney General Committee No.1125 Mar 18599 Apr 185916days2nd (1858 - 1859)Chairman
Standing Orders Committee No.21 Sep 18594 Jul 186010mths 4days3rd (1859 - 1860)
Library Committee No.31 Sep 18594 Jul 186010mths 4days3rd (1859 - 1860)
Standing Orders Committee No.227 Sep 18609 Nov 18601mth 14days3rd (1859 - 1860)
Library Committee No.327 Sep 18609 Nov 18601mth 14days3rd (1859 - 1860)
Public Prisons in Sydney and Cumberland Committee No.1423 Oct 18609 Nov 186018days3rd (1859 - 1860)
Payments made out of Public Funds without Authority of Parliament Committee No.426 Jun 186318 Aug 18631mth 24days4th (1860 - 1864)
Payments made out of Public Funds without Authority of Parliament Committee No.426 Jun 186318 Aug 18631mth 24days4th (1860 - 1864)Chairman
Harbour Defences Committee No.61 Jul 186320 Oct 18633mths 20days4th (1860 - 1864)
Present State and Management of Lunatic Asylums No.914 Jul 186320 Apr 18649mths 7days4th (1860 - 1864)
Reservations upon Runs in Tumut District Committee No.2529 Sep 186311 Mar 18645mths 12days4th (1860 - 1864)
Disorganized State of the Public Works Department Committee No.286 Oct 18637 Apr 18646mths 2days4th (1860 - 1864)
Bank of New South Wales Incorporation Act Amendment Bill Committee No.325 Dec 186412 Feb 18644th (1860 - 1864)Chairman
St Patrick’s Church Land Trust Bill Committee No.38 Mar 186514 Mar 18657days5th (1865 - 1869)
Fisheries Bill Committee No.924 Mar 18653 May 18651mth 10days5th (1865 - 1869)
Harbour Defences Committee No.132 May 18658 Jun 18651mth 7days5th (1865 - 1869)
Present State of the Colony Committee No.77 Nov 186528 Mar 18655th (1865 - 1869)
Refreshment Room Committee No.425 Jul 186618 Mar 18677mths 22days5th (1865 - 1869)
Standing Orders Committee No.325 Jul 186618 Mar 18677mths 22days5th (1865 - 1869)
Library Committee No.225 Jul 186618 Mar 18677mths 22days5th (1865 - 1869)
Library Committee No.23 Jul 186721 Aug 18671mth 19days5th (1865 - 1869)
Refreshment Room Committee No.43 Jul 186727 Apr 18689mths 25days5th (1865 - 1869)
Library Committee No.23 Jul 186727 Apr 18689mths 25days5th (1865 - 1869)
Address to His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh on his visit to the Colony Committee No.2116 Jan 186816 Jan 18681day5th (1865 - 1869)Chairman
Address to Her Majesty in reference to His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh Committee No.2620 Apr 186820 Apr 18681day5th (1865 - 1869)Chairman
Library Committee No.315 Dec 18683 Feb 18691mth 20days5th (1865 - 1869)
Alleged Conspiracy for purposes of Treason and Assassination Committee No.315 Dec 18683 Feb 18691mth 20days5th (1865 - 1869)
Refreshment Room Committee No.615 Dec 186824 Mar 18693mths 10days5th (1865 - 1869)
Standing Orders Committee No.515 Dec 186824 Mar 18693mths 10days5th (1865 - 1869)
Library Committee No.229 Sep 186913 Sep 18695th (1865 - 1869)
Refreshment Room Committee No.429 Sep 186913 Nov 18691mth 16days5th (1865 - 1869)
Standing Orders Committee No.329 Sep 186913 Nov 18691mth 16days5th (1865 - 1869)
Standing Orders Committee No.32 Feb 187022 Feb 187021days6th (1870 - 1872)
Refreshment Room Committee No.42 Feb 18707 May 18703mths 6days6th (1870 - 1872)
Library Committee No.22 Feb 18707 May 18703mths 6days6th (1870 - 1872)
The Bank of New South Wales Bill of 1870 Committee No.152 Mar 187015 Mar 187014days6th (1870 - 1872)Chairman
Standing Orders Committee No.312 Aug 187022 Mar 18717mths 11days6th (1870 - 1872)
Refreshment Room Committee No.412 Aug 187022 Jun 187110mths 11days6th (1870 - 1872)
Library Committee No.212 Aug 187022 Jun 187110mths 11days6th (1870 - 1872)
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.114 Nov 187114 Nov 18711day6th (1870 - 1872)
Refreshment Room Committee No.415 Nov 18711 Feb 18722mths 18days6th (1870 - 1872)
Standing Orders Committee No.315 Nov 18711 Feb 18722mths 18days6th (1870 - 1872)
Library Committee No.215 Nov 18711 Feb 18722mths 18days6th (1870 - 1872)
Opening Speech of the Administrator of the Government Committee No.11 May 18721 May 18721day6th (1870 - 1872)Chairman
Refreshment Room No.512 Jun 187213 Aug 18722mths 2days6th (1870 - 1872)
Standing Orders Committee No.412 Jun 187213 Aug 18722mths 2days6th (1870 - 1872)
Library Committee No.312 Jun 187213 Aug 18722mths 2days6th (1870 - 1872)
Refreshment Room Committee No.56 Nov 18725 Mar 18733mths 28days7th (1872 - 1874)
Standing Orders Committee No.46 Nov 187228 Mar 18734mths 23days7th (1872 - 1874)
Library Committee No.36 Nov 187225 Apr 18735mths 20days7th (1872 - 1874)
Refreshment Room No.410 Sep 187325 Jun 18749mths 16days7th (1872 - 1874)
Standing Orders Committee No.310 Sep 187325 Jun 18749mths 16days7th (1872 - 1874)
Library Committee No.210 Sep 187325 Jun 18749mths 16days7th (1872 - 1874)
Payment of Duty on Tobacco Committee No.154 Nov 187312 Dec 18731mth 9days7th (1872 - 1874)

Qualifications, occupations and interests

Lawyer (solicitor). Chief Justice of New South Wales from 1873 - 1886. Arrived in Sydney with parents 1821, father working as groom at Parramatta. Educated at Dame's School, Parramatta, by D. Thurston, Rev. W. Walker and others; family made sacrifices to send him to W.T. Cape's school 1833-1836; brilliant student. Journalist on the Australian, edited by G.R. Nichols; acting editor 1839; articled as solicitor to Nichols at 20; admitted as a solicitor 10 May 1845; established successful police court practice. Wrote for the Atlas 1844; managed and edited it for two years from May 1845. Admitted to Bar 11 Sept. 1856; very successful practice; examiner, law faculty, University of Sydney; Chief Justice, Supreme Court of New South Wales, 1873-1886. Became secretary of Sydney College Committee 1848, then secretary of Sydney Choral Society 1854; appointed to National Board of Education 1855; on committee Sydney Club 1858-1859; on committee Victoria Club 1861; elected fellow University of Sydney 1861; on committee Hyde Park Improvement Society. 1864-1865; vice-president Civil Service Club 1871; appointed to Committee of Defence from Foreign Aggression 1872. Author of The Australian Sketch Book, 1838.


Honours Received

Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1869. Commissioned as a Queens Counsel (QC) in 1857


Personal

Eldest son of John Martin, castle steward, and his wife Mary Hennessey. Married Isabella Long on 20 January 1853 and they had issue, 8 sons and 7 daughters. Church of England.


Additional Information

Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 5 Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: 1. Martin family - papers, 1830 - 1948 (MLMSS 2425); photographs in the PICMAN Database. 2. James Martin - papers, 1825 - 1894 (MLMSS 240); photographs in the PICMAN Database. 3. Sir James Martin - The Australian Sketchbook, 1838. (MLMSS 6547 [CY 3925]); photographs in the PICMAN Database. 4. Sir James Martin - speeches and articles, 1844, 1851 (DLMS 138). 5. Sir James Martin - papers, ca. 1873 - 1880 (DLMSQ 650). David Clune and Ken Turner (Editors), The Premiers of New South Wales: Volume 1 - 1856 - 1901, The Federation Press, Sydney, 2006 [Chapter 6: "Martin, James", by JM Bennett, p. 103]



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