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Sir George Houston REID (1845 - 1918)

  • Date of Birth: 25/02/1845
  • Place of Birth: Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland
  • Date of Death: 12/09/1918
  • Place of Death: London, England

Parliamentary Service

Position Start End Period Parliament Notes
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly17 Nov 188011 Jun 190120yr(s) 6mth(s) 26day(s)
Member for East Sydney17 Nov 188023 Nov 18822yrs 7days10th (1880 - 1882)
Member for East Sydney30 Nov 18825 Jan 18831mth 7days11th (1882 - 1885)
Member for East Sydney11 Jan 188321 Feb 18841yr 1mth 11days11th (1882 - 1885)
Member for East Sydney16 Oct 188526 Jan 18871yr 3mths 11days12th (1885 - 1887)
Member for East Sydney5 Feb 188719 Jan 18891yr 11mths 15days13th (1887 - 1889)
Member for East Sydney2 Feb 18896 Jun 18912yrs 4mths 5days14th (1889 - 1891)
Member for East Sydney17 Jun 189125 Jun 18943yrs 9days15th (1891 - 1894)
Member for Sydney-King17 Jul 18943 Aug 189418days16th (1894 - 1895)
Member for Sydney-King11 Aug 18945 Jul 189510mths 25days16th (1894 - 1895)
Member for Sydney-King24 Jul 18958 Jul 18982yrs 11mths 15days17th (1895 - 1898)
Member for Sydney-King27 Jul 189811 Jun 19012yrs 10mths 16days18th (1898 - 1901)
Minister of Public Instruction5 Jan 18836 Mar 18841yr(s) 2mth(s) 2day(s)
Colonial Treasurer3 Aug 18943 Jul 18994yr(s) 11mth(s) 1day(s)
Premier3 Aug 189413 Sep 18995yr(s) 1mth(s) 11day(s)
Attorney General19 Apr 189913 Sep 18994mth(s) 26day(s)
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.116 Dec 188016 Dec 18801day10th (1880 - 1882)
Standing Orders Committee No.317 Dec 18806 Apr 18813mths 21days10th (1880 - 1882)
Kurrajong Land and Riley Street Surry Hills Land Sales Bill Committee No.613 Jan 188121 Jan 18819days10th (1880 - 1882)
Assisted Immigration Committee No.818 Jan 18815 Apr 18812mths 19days10th (1880 - 1882)
Australian Steam Navigation Act Amendment Bill Committee No.1410 Mar 188117 Mar 18818days10th (1880 - 1882)
Australian Steam Navigation Act Amendment Bill Committee No.1410 Mar 188117 Mar 18818days10th (1880 - 1882)Chairman
Osborne’s Leasing Bill Committee No.1822 Mar 18816 Apr 188116days10th (1880 - 1882)
Bates’s Estate Bill Committee No.1923 Mar 188129 Mar 18817days10th (1880 - 1882)
Standing Orders Committee No.46 Jul 188129 Jul 188124days10th (1880 - 1882)
Osborne’s Leasing Bill Committee No.1015 Jul 18815 Aug 188122days10th (1880 - 1882)Chairman
Width of Streets and Lanes Bill Committee No.1426 Aug 188121 Oct 18811mth 26days10th (1880 - 1882)
Presbyterian Church Property Management Bill Committee No.1530 Aug 188127 Sep 188129days10th (1880 - 1882)
Moffitt’s Estate Enabling Bill Committee No.186 Sep 18815 Oct 188130days10th (1880 - 1882)
Royal Society of New South Wales Incorporation Bill Committee No.1916 Sep 188127 Sep 188112days10th (1880 - 1882)
Royal Society of New South Wales Incorporation Bill Committee No.1916 Sep 188127 Sep 188112days10th (1880 - 1882)Chairman
Standing Orders Committee No.330 Aug 188221 Nov 18822mths 23days10th (1880 - 1882)
Blandford Proprietary School Bill Committee No.96 Feb 188313 Feb 18838days11th (1882 - 1885)
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.220 Nov 188522 Dec 18851mth 3days12th (1885 - 1887)
Standing Orders Committee No.33 Dec 188525 Oct 188610mths 23days12th (1885 - 1887)
Sydney Corporation Act Amendment Bill Committee No.3814 May 188614 May 18861day12th (1885 - 1887)
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.211 Mar 188729 Mar 188719days13th (1887 - 1889)
Library Committee No.415 Mar 188713 Jul 18873mths 29days13th (1887 - 1889)
Library Committee No.321 Sep 188724 Jul 188810mths 4days13th (1887 - 1889)
North Shore, Manly and Pittwater Tramway and Railway Bill Committee No.1812 Oct 188725 Oct 188714days13th (1887 - 1889)
Library Committee No.324 Oct 188827 Jan 18893mths 4days13th (1887 - 1889)
Library Committee No.53 Apr 188910 Oct 18896mths 8days13th (1887 - 1889)
Library Committee No.427 Nov 188921 Dec 188925days14th (1889 - 1891)
Library Committee No.430 Apr 189020 Dec 18907mths 21days14th (1889 - 1891)
Library Committee No.326 May 18912 Jun 18918days15th (1891 - 1894)
Library Committee No.65 Oct 189218 Oct 189214days15th (1891 - 1894)
Standing Orders Committee No.55 Oct 189218 Oct 189214days15th (1891 - 1894)
Standing Orders Committee No.327 Sep 18938 Dec 18932mths 12days15th (1891 - 1894)
Standing Orders Committee No.323 Jan 18945 Jun 18944mths 14days16th (1894 - 1895)
Standing Orders Committee No. 229 Aug 18945 Jul 189510mths 7days16th (1894 - 1895)
Library Committee No. 329 Aug 18945 Jul 189510mths 7days16th (1894 - 1895)
Refreshment Committee No. 429 Aug 18945 Jul 189510mths 7days16th (1894 - 1895)
Appropriation Bill. Committee No. 1521 Dec 18945 Jul 18956mths 15days16th (1894 - 1895)
Address of Condolence to Lady Duff. Committee No. 1619 Mar 18955 Jul 18953mths 17days16th (1894 - 1895)
Printing Committee No.514 May 189512 Nov 18961yr 5mths 30days17th (1895 - 1898)
Refreshment. Committee No. 420 Aug 18958 Jul 18982yrs 10mths 19days17th (1895 - 1898)
Standing Orders. Committee No. 220 Aug 18958 Jul 18982yrs 10mths 19days17th (1895 - 1898)
Library. Committee No. 320 Aug 18958 Jul 18982yrs 10mths 19days17th (1895 - 1898)
Refreshment Committee No.414 May 189616 Nov 18966mths 3days17th (1895 - 1898)
Printing Committee No.514 May 189616 Nov 18966mths 3days17th (1895 - 1898)
Standing Orders Committee No.214 May 189616 Nov 18966mths 3days17th (1895 - 1898)
Standing Orders Committee No.228 Apr 189718 Aug 18973mths 22days17th (1895 - 1898)
Printing Committee No.528 Apr 18979 Dec 18977mths 12days17th (1895 - 1898)
Refreshment Committee No.428 Apr 189710 Dec 18977mths 13days17th (1895 - 1898)
Library Committee No.328 Apr 189710 Dec 18977mths 13days17th (1895 - 1898)
Printing Committee No. 528 Jun 18988 Jul 189811days17th (1895 - 1898)
Library Committee No. 428 Jun 18988 Jul 189811days17th (1895 - 1898)
Standing Orders Committee No. 228 Jun 18988 Jul 189811days17th (1895 - 1898)
Refreshment Committee No. 328 Jun 18988 Jul 189811days17th (1895 - 1898)
Printing Committee No. 625 Aug 189823 Dec 18983mths 29days18th (1898 - 1901)
Refreshment Committee No. 525 Aug 189823 Dec 18983mths 29days18th (1898 - 1901)
Standing Orders Committee No. 325 Aug 189823 Dec 18983mths 29days18th (1898 - 1901)
Library Committee No. 425 Aug 189823 Dec 18983mths 29days18th (1898 - 1901)
Printing Committee No.421 Feb 189923 Feb 18993days18th (1898 - 1901)
Library Committee No.221 Feb 189930 Mar 18991mth 10days18th (1898 - 1901)
Refreshment Committee No.321 Feb 189930 Mar 18991mth 10days18th (1898 - 1901)
Standing Orders Committee No.121 Feb 189930 Mar 18991mth 10days18th (1898 - 1901)
Refreshment Committee No.413 Apr 189921 Apr 18999days18th (1898 - 1901)
Printing Committee No.513 Apr 189921 Apr 18999days18th (1898 - 1901)
Library Committee No.313 Apr 189921 Apr 18999days18th (1898 - 1901)
Standing Orders Committee No.213 Apr 189921 Apr 18999days18th (1898 - 1901)
Printing Committee No.72 Aug 189910 Oct 18992mths 9days18th (1898 - 1901)
Library Committee No.52 Aug 189910 Oct 18992mths 9days18th (1898 - 1901)
Refreshment Committee No.62 Aug 189910 Oct 18992mths 9days18th (1898 - 1901)
Library Committee No.52 Aug 189923 Dec 18994mths 22days18th (1898 - 1901)
Standing Orders Committee No.48 Aug 189923 Dec 18994mths 16days18th (1898 - 1901)
Standing Orders Committee No.420 Jun 190024 Jul 19001mth 5days18th (1898 - 1901)
Library Committee No.520 Jun 190028 Nov 19005mths 9days18th (1898 - 1901)
Racing Association Bill Committee No.2318 Sep 19001 Dec 19002mths 14days18th (1898 - 1901)

Political Party Activity

Freetrade Party 1901 - 1904; Leader 1901 - 1904


Qualifications, occupations and interests

Lawyer (Barrister). Arrived in Australia with parents in 1852. Educated at the Melbourne Academy (later Scotch College). Journeyed to New South Wales in 1858. Clerk in Sydney merchant's office to 1864; Colonial Treasury 1864-1878; Secretary to the Attorney-General 1878-1880; Called to Bar 1879; Queens Counsel in 1898. High Commissioner for Australia, London, 1910- 1916. Represented New South Wales at Federal Convention 1897. Attended Diamond Jubilee celebrations in England 1897. Author of Five Freetrade Essays 1875; New South Wales the Mother Colony of the Australians, 1878.


Honours Received

Honorary Doctor of Civil Law (DCL) Oxford University (UK) in 1897. Privy Councillor in 1897. Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1909. Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) in 1911. Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in 1916.


Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held

Member of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. Member of the House of Representatives for East Sydney 1901 - 1909. Prime Minister of Australia and Minister for External Affairs 1904 - 1905. Leader of the Federal Freetrade Party and of the Opposition 1901 - 1904. Member of the British Parliament: House of Commons seat of St George's, Hanover Square, 1916 - 1918.


Personal

Youngest son of the Reverend John Reid, Presbyterian Minister and his wife Marion Crybbace (d. 1885). Married Flora Ann Brumby on 5 November 1891 in Thornton Cressy, Tasmania. Presbyterian.


Additional Information

Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 11 George Houstoun Reid, 'My Reminiscences', 1917 W. G. McMinn, 'George Reid', 1989 National Archives of Australia, 'Australia's Prime Ministers' Website http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/ National Archives of Australia Fact Sheet 213: 'George Houstoun Reid Prime Minister of Australia 1904-05' http://www.naa.gov.au/fsheets/fs213.html A biography is on the National Library of Australia's Federation Gateway website: http://www.nla.gov.au/guides/federation/people/reid.html A biography is also on the 'Electric Scotland' Website: http://www.electricscotland.com/history/australia/reid_george.htm Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: 1. Sir George Houston Reid - papers, 1876 (MLMSS 4436) 2. Sir George Houston Reid - papers, 1873 - 1916, (Ar 57) 3. Sir George Houston Reid - papers, 1880, 1916. 4. Sir George Houston - 'New South Wales the mother colony of the Australias', 187. (MLMSS 219). David Clune and Ken Turner (Editors), The Premiers of New South Wales: Volume 1 - 1856 - 1901, The Federation Press, Sydney, 2006 [Chapter 12: "Reid, George", by Michael Hogan, p. 191]



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