Sir Charles [1] COWPER (1807 - 1875)**

Date of Birth: 26/04/1807 Place of Birth: Dryford, Lancashire, England Date of Death: 19/10/1875 Place of Death: London, England

Parliamentary Service

Position Start End Period Notes Member of the NSW Legislative Council 1 Jul 1843 20 Jun 1848 4yr(s) 11mth(s) 20day(s) An Elective Member of the first Legislative Council 1843 - 1856 for the County of Cumberland Member of the NSW Legislative Council 1 Aug 1848 1 Feb 1850 1yr(s) 6mth(s) 1day(s) An Elective Member of the first Legislative Council 1843 - 1856 for the County of Cumberland Member of the NSW Legislative Council 1 Sep 1851 29 Feb 1856 4yr(s) 5mth(s) 29day(s) An Elective Member of the first Legislative Council 1843 - 1856 for the County of Durham Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 13 Mar 1856 7 Dec 1870 14yr(s) 8mth(s) 25day(s) Member of the NSW Legislative Council 9 Mar 1860 29 Nov 1860 8mth(s) 21day(s) First (Quinquennial) Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 9 March 1860 Member for Sydney (City) 13 Mar 1856 26 Aug 1856 5mth(s) 14day(s) 1st (1856 - 1857) Member for Sydney (City) 3 Sep 1856 7 Sep 1857 1yr(s) 5day(s) 1st (1856 - 1857) Member for Sydney 15 Jan 1858 11 Apr 1859 1yr(s) 2mth(s) 28day(s) 2nd (1858 - 1859) Member for East Sydney 9 Jun 1859 27 Oct 1859 4mth(s) 19day(s) 3rd (1859 - 1860) Member for East Sydney 10 Nov 1859 17 Nov 1859 8day(s) 3rd (1859 - 1860) Member for East Sydney 7 Dec 1860 10 Nov 1864 3yr(s) 11mth(s) 4day(s) 4th (1860 - 1864) Member for East Sydney 22 Nov 1864 3 Feb 1865 2mth(s) 13day(s) 5th (1865 - 1869) Member for East Sydney 17 Feb 1865 23 Feb 1867 2yr(s) 7day(s) 5th (1865 - 1869) Member for Liverpool Plains 23 Dec 1869 11 Jan 1870 20day(s) 6th (1870 - 1872) Member for Liverpool Plains 29 Jan 1870 7 Dec 1870 10mth(s) 9day(s) 6th (1870 - 1872) Premier 26 Aug 1856 2 Oct 1856 1mth(s) 7day(s) Premier 7 Sep 1857 26 Oct 1859 2yr(s) 1mth(s) 20day(s) Colonial Secretary 9 Mar 1860 15 Oct 1861 1yr(s) 7mth(s) 7day(s) Colonial Secretary 10 Jan 1861 15 Oct 1863 2yr(s) 9mth(s) 6day(s) Premier 3 Feb 1865 21 Jan 1866 11mth(s) 19day(s) Premier 13 Jan 1870 15 Dec 1870 11mth(s) 3day(s) Colonial Secretary 26 Aug 1856 2 Oct 1856 1mth(s) 7day(s) Colonial Secretary 7 Sep 1857 26 Oct 1859 2yr(s) 1mth(s) 20day(s) Representative of Government in the Legislative Council 9 Mar 1860 29 Nov 1860 8mth(s) 21day(s) Premier 10 Jan 1861 15 Oct 1863 2yr(s) 9mth(s) 6day(s) Library Committee No.4 3 Jun 1856 18 Mar 1857 9mths 16days 1st (1856 - 1857) Standing Order Committee No.3 3 Jun 1856 18 Mar 1857 9mths 16days 1st (1856 - 1857) Church and School Lands Committee No.11 19 Aug 1856 18 Mar 1857 6mths 28days 1st (1856 - 1857) Additional Ministerial Department Committee No.12 20 Aug 1856 18 Mar 1857 6mths 27days 1st (1856 - 1857) Electric Telegraph Committee No.14 31 Oct 1856 18 Mar 1857 4mths 16days 1st (1856 - 1857) Civil Service Superannuation Fund Committee No.19 11 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4mths 8days 1st (1856 - 1857) Liverpool and London Fire and Life Assurance Company’s Bill Committee No.21 18 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4mths 1day 1st (1856 - 1857) Sole Commissioner of Railways Incorporation Bill Committee No.22 19 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 3mths 28days 1st (1856 - 1857) The Library Committee 12 Aug 1857 18 Dec 1857 4mths 7days 1st (1856 - 1857) Standing Order Committee 12 Aug 1857 18 Dec 1857 4mths 7days 1st (1856 - 1857) Reclaiming Land, Woolloomooloo Bay Committee 25 Aug 1857 18 Dec 1857 3mths 24days 1st (1856 - 1857) Secondary Punishment Committee No.8 27 Aug 1857 18 Dec 1857 3mths 22days 1st (1856 - 1857) Burwood Tramroad Continuation Act Amendment Bill Committee No.14 3 Nov 1857 18 Dec 1857 1mth 16days 1st (1856 - 1857) Pyrmont Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.15 13 Nov 1857 18 Dec 1857 1mth 6days 1st (1856 - 1857) The Library Committee No.3 25 Mar 1858 26 Nov 1858 8mths 2days 2nd (1858 - 1859) Standing Orders Committee No.2 25 Mar 1858 26 Nov 1858 8mths 2days 2nd (1858 - 1859) Question of Privilege – Governor General’s Answer to Address on proposed dispatch of Artillery to Indi 16 Apr 1858 26 Nov 1858 7mths 11days 2nd (1858 - 1859) Retrenchment in the Public Expenditure Committee No.11 20 Apr 1858 26 Nov 1858 7mths 7days 2nd (1858 - 1859) Chairman Pyrmont Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.19 18 May 1858 26 Nov 1858 6mths 9days 2nd (1858 - 1859) Australian Gas Light Company’s Bill Committee No.18 18 May 1858 26 Nov 1858 6mths 9days 2nd (1858 - 1859) Murders by the Aborigines on the Dawson River Committee No.22 15 Jun 1858 26 Nov 1858 5mths 12days 2nd (1858 - 1859) Standing Orders Committee No.2 10 Dec 1858 9 Apr 1859 4mths 2nd (1858 - 1859) Library Committee No.3 10 Dec 1858 9 Apr 1859 4mths 2nd (1858 - 1859) Parliamentary Accommodation Committee No.10 17 Mar 1859 9 Apr 1859 24days 2nd (1858 - 1859) Standing Orders Committee No.2 1 Sep 1859 4 Jul 1860 10mths 4days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Library Committee No.3 1 Sep 1859 4 Jul 1860 10mths 4days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Retrenchment in the Public Expenditure Committee No.7 14 Sep 1859 4 Jul 1860 9mths 21days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Chairman, 21 September 1859 Secondary Punishment Committee No.8 14 Sep 1859 4 Jul 1860 9mths 21days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Chairman Library Committee No.3 15 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3mths 27days 4th (1860 - 1864) Departure of the Governor General Committee No.4 15 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3mths 27days 4th (1860 - 1864) Chairman Standing Orders Committee No.2 15 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3mths 27days 4th (1860 - 1864) Public Prisons in Sydney and Cumberland Committee No.8 23 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3mths 19days 4th (1860 - 1864) Claims of the Reverend W.B Clarke Committee No.26 12 Mar 1861 11 May 1861 1mth 30days 4th (1860 - 1864) Mr Francis Flanagan Committee No.21 10 Dec 1861 20 Jan 1862 1mth 11days 4th (1860 - 1864) Commercial Banking Company’s Act Amendment Bill No.14 11 Aug 1863 14 Aug 1863 4days 4th (1860 - 1864) Claims of Tenants of the Crown Committee No.35 15 Mar 1864 20 Apr 1864 1mth 6days 4th (1860 - 1864) Reserve, Lavender Bay Committee No.6 31 Jul 1866 23 Oct 1866 2mths 23days 5th (1865 - 1869) Church of England Property Management Bill Committee No.8 16 Aug 1866 30 Aug 1866 15days 5th (1865 - 1869) Chairman Railway from Echuca to Deniliquin Committee No.10 21 Sep 1866 20 Dec 1866 2mths 30days 5th (1865 - 1869) Lawson’s Trust Bill Committee No.13 25 Sep 1866 13 Dec 1866 2mths 19days 5th (1865 - 1869) Proposed Electoral Alterations Committee No.12 25 Sep 1866 13 Dec 1866 2mths 19days 5th (1865 - 1869) Exchange of Land Scots Church Sydney Legalizing Bill Committee No.15 10 Oct 1866 31 Oct 1866 22days 5th (1865 - 1869) Chairman Bishopric of Goulburn Lands Investment Bill Committee No.16 11 Oct 1866 17 Oct 1866 7days 5th (1865 - 1869) Chairman Alleged Irregularity in Registration of a Deed Committee No.17 31 Oct 1866 8 Nov 1866 9days 5th (1865 - 1869) Shoalhaven Municipality Committee No.22 27 Nov 1866 21 Dec 1866 25days 5th (1865 - 1869) Chairman Sydney Common Improvement Bill Committee No.23 6 Dec 1866 13 Dec 1866 8days 5th (1865 - 1869) Standing Orders Committee No.3 2 Feb 1870 22 Feb 1870 21days 6th (1870 - 1872) Refreshment Room Committee No.4 2 Feb 1870 7 May 1870 3mths 6days 6th (1870 - 1872) Immigration Committee No.10 22 Feb 1870 13 Apr 1870 1mth 23days 6th (1870 - 1872) George Swinnerton Yarnton Committee No.13 1 Mar 1870 23 Mar 1870 23days 6th (1870 - 1872) Sydney Infirmary Committee No.14 1 Mar 1870 22 Apr 1870 1mth 22days 6th (1870 - 1872) Mrs Mary Fogg Committee No.18 22 Mar 1870 29 Apr 1870 1mth 8days 6th (1870 - 1872) Sale of Liquors Licensing Act Amendment Bill Committee No.21 1 Apr 1870 3 May 1870 1mth 3days 6th (1870 - 1872) Water Supply – Sydney and Suburbs Committee No.23 8 Apr 1870 3 May 1870 26days 6th (1870 - 1872) Standing Orders Committee No.3 12 Aug 1870 22 Mar 1871 7mths 11days 6th (1870 - 1872) Standing Orders Committee No.3 12 Aug 1870 22 Mar 1871 7mths 11days 6th (1870 - 1872) Refreshment Room Committee No.4 12 Aug 1870 22 Jun 1871 10mths 11days 6th (1870 - 1872) Library Committee No.2 12 Aug 1870 22 Jun 1871 10mths 11days 6th (1870 - 1872) Petition of Hugh Maguire Committee No.6 18 Aug 1870 7 Oct 1870 1mth 20days 6th (1870 - 1872) Government Printing Office Committee No.9 13 Sep 1870 4 May 1871 7mths 22days 6th (1870 - 1872) Colonial Secretary 13 Jan 1870 15 Dec 1870 11mth(s) 3day(s)

Community Activity

Commissioned as a Justice of the Peace. Chairman of the New South Wales Association for Preventing the Revival of Transportation in 1850. President of the Australasian League for the Abolition of Transportation in 1851.

Qualifications, occupations and interests

Pastoralist. Educated privately. Joined the Commissariat Department at 17. Between the ages of 19 and 26, he was the Secretary of the Church and School Lands Corporation. Acquired extensive areas of land by grant or purchase from 1827 and was a pastoralist from 1833. Was a large rural freeholder in County Argyle and owned town allotment in Goulburn. In 1857, as a tenant of the Crown, he held 19,720 acres in County Argyle (settled districts) and 47,000 acres in County Lachlan (unsettled districts). By 1859, he had sold his squatting interests in unsettled districts. Was first Chairman of the Sydney Tramway and Railway Company and its manager in 1849 - 1853. Was in financial difficulties in the 1860s and joined R. Towns & Company in 1867, investing heavily and unsuccessfully in Queensland pastoral property. (Robert Towns was a member of the Legislative Council from 1856 - 1861 and 1863 - 1873, much the same period that Cowper was a Member of the Legislative Assembly). Agent-General for New South Wales in London, 1871 - 1875.

Honours Received

Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 1869. Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1871.

Personal

Son of William Cowper, clergyman, and his wife Hannah Horner. Arrived in Sydney with his parents when his father was appointed assistant chaplain of the colony in 1809. Married Eliza Sutton, daughter of Daniel Sutton of Wivenhoe, Essex, England in 1831 and they had 2 sons (one of whom, Charles Cowper junior (1834 - 1911) was also a Member of the Legislative Assembly) and 4 daughters. Church of England.

Additional Information

Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 3 Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: 1. Sir Charles Cowper - correspondence, ca.1850 - 1874 (A676, A677, A678); photographs in the PICMAN Database. 2. Cowper family - papers, 1831 - 1892 (MLMSS786). The silver salver presented to Cowper by the shareholders of the Sydney Railway Company in 1855 was presented to the Parliament of New South Wales by Sir Norman Cowper, Sir Charles Cowper's great-grandson, on 30 July 1985. The matching candelabrum was purchased by the Powerhouse Museum in 2003 (registration number 2003/195/1). David Clune and Ken Turner (Editors), The Premiers of New South Wales: Volume 1 - 1856 - 1901, The Federation Press, Sydney, 2006 [Chapter 2: "Cowper, Charles", by Allan Powell, p. 35]

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