Mr William Bede DALLEY (1831 - 1888)**

Date of Birth: 05/07/1831 Place of Birth: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Date of Death: 28/10/1888 Place of Death: Darling Point, New South Wales, Australia

Parliamentary Service

Position Start End Period Notes Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 30 Dec 1856 25 Feb 1860 3yr(s) 1mth(s) 27day(s) Member of the NSW Legislative Council 13 May 1861 13 May 1861 1day(s) Did not take his seat. First (Quinquennial) Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 10 May 1861. Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 16 Oct 1862 19 Nov 1864 2yr(s) 1mth(s) 4day(s) Member of the NSW Legislative Council 11 Aug 1870 19 Sep 1873 3yr(s) 1mth(s) 9day(s) Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 28 May 1870. Resigned Member of the NSW Legislative Council 9 Feb 1875 8 Apr 1880 5yr(s) 2mth(s) Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 9 February 1875. Resigned. Member of the NSW Legislative Council 5 Jan 1883 28 Oct 1888 5yr(s) 9mth(s) 24day(s) Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 5 January 1883 Member for Sydney (City) 30 Dec 1856 19 Dec 1857 11mth(s) 20day(s) 1st (1856 - 1857) Member for Cumberland Boroughs 20 Jan 1858 15 Nov 1858 9mth(s) 27day(s) 2nd (1858 - 1859) Member for Cumberland Boroughs 24 Nov 1858 11 Apr 1859 4mth(s) 19day(s) 2nd (1858 - 1859) Member for Windsor 21 Jun 1859 25 Feb 1860 8mth(s) 5day(s) 3rd (1859 - 1860) Member for Carcoar 16 Oct 1862 19 Nov 1864 2yr(s) 1mth(s) 4day(s) 4th (1860 - 1864) Solicitor General 15 Nov 1858 11 Feb 1859 2mth(s) 28day(s) Attorney General without a seat in Executive Council 9 Feb 1875 21 Mar 1877 2yr(s) 1mth(s) 13day(s) Attorney General 17 Aug 1877 17 Dec 1877 4mth(s) 1day(s) Attorney General and Representative of the Government in the Legislative Council 5 Jan 1883 6 Oct 1885 2yr(s) 9mth(s) 2day(s) Acting Colonial Secretary 7 Oct 1884 11 May 1885 7mth(s) 5day(s) St John’s College Bill Committee No.6 26 Aug 1857 18 Dec 1857 3mths 23days 1st (1856 - 1857) Late Shipwrecks, Port Jackson Committee No.11 30 Oct 1857 18 Dec 1857 1mth 19days 1st (1856 - 1857) Australian Agricultural Company’s Newcastle Railway Bill Committee No.12 30 Oct 1857 18 Dec 1857 1mth 19days 1st (1856 - 1857) Australian Gas Company’s Light Bill Committee No.16 13 Nov 1857 18 Dec 1857 1mth 6days 1st (1856 - 1857) Chairman Pyrmont Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.15 13 Nov 1857 18 Dec 1857 1mth 6days 1st (1856 - 1857) Chairman Seizure of Gold Dust on board the “Ethereal” Committee No.18 4 Dec 1857 18 Dec 1857 15days 1st (1856 - 1857) Special Return to Writ Committee No.5 31 Mar 1858 26 Nov 1858 7mths 27days 2nd (1858 - 1859) 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) Chairman Seizure of Gold on board the ‘Ethereal’ and ‘May Nicholson’ Committee No.21 15 Jun 1858 26 Nov 1858 5mths 12days 2nd (1858 - 1859) University of Sydney Committee No.29 20 Jul 1858 26 Nov 1858 4mths 7days 2nd (1858 - 1859) Extension of Railway to Windsor Committee No.30 23 Jul 1858 26 Nov 1858 4mths 4days 2nd (1858 - 1859) Extension of Railway to Windsor Committee No.6 17 Dec 1858 9 Apr 1859 3mths 24days 2nd (1858 - 1859) University of Sydney Committee No.8 14 Jan 1859 9 Apr 1859 2mths 27days 2nd (1858 - 1859) Sydney Grammar School Committee No.6 13 Sep 1859 4 Jul 1860 9mths 22days 3rd (1859 - 1860) University of Sydney Committee No.5 13 Sep 1859 4 Jul 1860 9mths 22days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Working of the Sydney Municipal Council Committee No.12 20 Sep 1859 4 Jul 1860 9mths 15days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Case of James Hibburd Committee No.16 23 Sep 1859 4 Jul 1860 9mths 12days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Petition of Mrs Frances Dr Courcy Committee No.25 18 Oct 1859 4 Jul 1860 8mths 17days 3rd (1859 - 1860) Hawkesbury Benevolent Society’s Act Amendment Bill Committee No.35 16 Feb 1860 4 Jul 1860 4mths 19days 3rd (1859 - 1860) United Fire and Life Insurance Company’s Incorporation Bill Committee No.41 24 Oct 1862 4 Nov 1862 12days 4th (1860 - 1864) Standing Orders Committee No.2 24 Jun 1863 10 Dec 1863 5mths 17days 4th (1860 - 1864) Library Committee No.3 24 Jun 1863 31 Mar 1864 9mths 8days 4th (1860 - 1864) Payments made out of Public Funds without Authority of Parliament Committee No.4 26 Jun 1863 18 Aug 1863 1mth 24days 4th (1860 - 1864) Mr James K.Montgomery – Claim for Compensation Committee No.24 15 Sep 1863 22 Apr 1864 7mths 8days 4th (1860 - 1864) Claim of Robert to Land in Illawarra Committee No.34 16 Feb 1864 11 Mar 1864 25days 4th (1860 - 1864) Library Committee No.3 19 Oct 1864 9 Nov 1864 22days 4th (1860 - 1864) Standing Orders Committee No.2 19 Oct 1864 9 Nov 1864 22days 4th (1860 - 1864)

Community Activity

Commissioned as a Justice of the Peace. Vice - President and Honorary Counsel for the Society for Prevention and Cruelty to Animals. Trustee Public Library. Fellow of St John's College, University of Sydney. Fellow, Senate, University of Sydney. Steward, Australian Jockey Club. Member of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. Member of Southern Cross Masonic Lodge.

Qualifications, occupations and interests

Lawyer (Barrister). Educated in St. Mary's seminary and Sydney College. Dalley worked as a clerk, articled to F.W. Unwin in 1853 and was admitted to the Bar in July 1856. Returning to New South Wales after visiting England, Ireland and Europe in 1860 he was appointed immigration commissioner with Henry Parkes in 1861 to tour Britain. Returned from touring Britain in 1862 and became a leading criminal lawyer; and was refused elevation to the Supreme Court in 1876, and became a Queen's Counsel in 1877. Editor and part proprietor of Freeman's Journal 1865 and contibuted to many newspapers and magazines on literary and political topics. Financial independence and demand for his services encouraged him to accept only important cases. Dalley could hold his place with any barrister, not only in advocacy but in legal argument, and at his peak he was briefed in many fields of the law.

Honours Received

Queens Counsel (QC) in 1877. Privy Councillor (PC) 1886. Memorial statue erected in Hyde Park, Sydney looking down Macquarie Street to the Law Courts and Parliament House. Bust by Simonetti placed in the Legislative Council Chamber in 1886.

Personal

Son of John Dalley, storekeeper, and his wife Catherine Spillane, who were both transported as convicts. Married Eleanor Jane Long on 15 June 1872 in Darlinghurst and had issue, 3 sons and 2 daughters. He received a substantial legacy from his father in 1871. Roman Catholic, but had a Church of England wedding. Buried in Waverley cemetery.

Additional Information

Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 4

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