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Mr William FORSTER (1818 - 1882)

  • Date of Birth: 16/10/1818
  • Place of Birth: Madras, Madras Presidency, India
  • Date of Death: 30/10/1882
  • Place of Death: Edgecliff, New South Wales, Australia

Parliamentary Service

Position Start End Period Parliament Notes
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly5 Apr 185630 Oct 188226yr(s) 6mth(s) 26day(s)
Member for Murray and St. Vincent (United Counties of)5 Apr 185619 Dec 18571yr(s) 8mth(s) 15day(s)1st (1856 - 1857)
Member for Murray and St. Vincent (United Counties of)5 Feb 185811 Apr 18591yr(s) 2mth(s) 7day(s)2nd (1858 - 1859)
Member for Queanbeyan17 Jun 185926 Oct 18594mth(s) 10day(s)3rd (1859 - 1860)
Member for Queanbeyan15 Nov 185910 Nov 186011mth(s) 27day(s)3rd (1859 - 1860)
Member for East Sydney29 May 186116 Oct 18632yr(s) 4mth(s) 18day(s)4th (1860 - 1864)
Member for East Sydney28 Oct 186310 Nov 18641yr(s) 14day(s)4th (1860 - 1864)
Member for Hastings24 Dec 186415 Nov 18694yr(s) 10mth(s) 23day(s)5th (1865 - 1869)
Member for Queanbeyan23 Dec 18693 Feb 18722yr(s) 1mth(s) 12day(s)6th Council (1851 - 1855)
Member for Illawarra29 Feb 187228 Nov 18742yr(s) 9mth(s)7th (1872 - 1874)
Member for Murrumbidgee2 Jan 18759 Feb 18751mth(s) 8day(s)8th (1875 - 1877)
Member for Murrumbidgee22 Feb 18754 Feb 187611mth(s) 14day(s)8th (1875 - 1877)
Member for Gundagai30 Nov 188030 Oct 18821yr(s) 11mth(s) 1day(s)10th (1880 - 1882)
Premier 27 Oct 18598 Mar 18604mth(s) 11day(s)
Colonial Secretary16 Oct 18632 Feb 18651yr(s) 3mth(s) 18day(s)
Secretary for Lands27 Oct 186814 Apr 18701yr(s) 5mth(s) 19day(s)
Colonial Treasurer9 Feb 18757 Feb 187611mth(s) 30day(s)
Colonial Secretary27 Oct 18598 Mar 18604mth(s) 11day(s)
Sydney Bethel Union Bill Committee No.913 Aug 185618 Mar 18577mths 6days1st (1856 - 1857)
Richmond Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.188 Nov 185618 Mar 18574mths 11days1st (1856 - 1857)
Native Police Force Committee No.178 Nov 185618 Mar 18574mths 11days1st (1856 - 1857)
Administration of Justice and Conduct of Official Business in Country Districts Committee No.2011 Nov 185618 Mar 18574mths 8days1st (1856 - 1857)
Reclaiming Land, Woolloomooloo Bay Committee25 Aug 185718 Dec 18573mths 24days1st (1856 - 1857)
Secondary Punishment Committee No.827 Aug 185718 Dec 18573mths 22days1st (1856 - 1857)
Australian Agricultural Company’s Newcastle Railway Bill Committee No.1230 Oct 185718 Dec 18571mth 19days1st (1856 - 1857)Chairman
Australian Gas Company’s Light Bill Committee No.1613 Nov 185718 Dec 18571mth 6days1st (1856 - 1857)
Burwood Tramroad Continuation Act Amendment Bill Committee No.1424 Nov 185718 Dec 185725days1st (1856 - 1857)
Seizure of Gold Dust on board the “Ethereal” Committee No.184 Dec 185718 Dec 185715days1st (1856 - 1857)Chairman
Special Return to Writ Committee No.531 Mar 185826 Nov 18587mths 27days2nd (1858 - 1859)
Question of Privilege – Governor General’s Answer to Address on proposed dispatch of Artillery to Indi16 Apr 185826 Nov 18587mths 11days2nd (1858 - 1859)
Retrenchment in the Public Expenditure Committee No.1120 Apr 185826 Nov 18587mths 7days2nd (1858 - 1859)
Management of the Survey Department Committee No.1530 Apr 185826 Nov 18586mths 28days2nd (1858 - 1859)
State of the Magistracy Committee No.1718 May 185826 Nov 18586mths 9days2nd (1858 - 1859)
Australian Gas Light Company’s Bill Committee No.1818 May 185826 Nov 18586mths 9days2nd (1858 - 1859)
Murders by the Aborigines on the Dawson River Committee No.2215 Jun 185826 Nov 18585mths 12days2nd (1858 - 1859)
Seizure of Gold on board the ‘Ethereal’ and ‘May Nicholson’ Committee No.2115 Jun 185826 Nov 18585mths 12days2nd (1858 - 1859)Chairman
Landed Property in cases of Intestacy Descent Bill Committee No.252 Jul 185826 Nov 18584mths 25days2nd (1858 - 1859)
Proposed Presbyterian College (petition) from the Reverend John Dunmore Lang Committee No.2613 Jul 185826 Nov 18584mths 14days2nd (1858 - 1859)
Vacant Seat – Question of Privilege Committee No.93 Mar 18599 Apr 18591mth 7days2nd (1858 - 1859)
Standing Orders Committee No.21 Sep 18594 Jul 186010mths 4days3rd (1859 - 1860)
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.42 Sep 18594 Jul 186010mths 3days3rd (1859 - 1860)
University of Sydney Committee No.513 Sep 18594 Jul 18609mths 22days3rd (1859 - 1860)
Secondary Punishment Committee No.814 Sep 18594 Jul 18609mths 21days3rd (1859 - 1860)
Retrenchment in the Public Expenditure Committee No.714 Sep 18594 Jul 18609mths 21days3rd (1859 - 1860)
Working of the Sydney Municipal Council Committee No.1220 Sep 18594 Jul 18609mths 15days3rd (1859 - 1860)
Case of Charles Wentworth Bucknell Committee No.1723 Sep 18594 Jul 18609mths 12days3rd (1859 - 1860)Chairman
Case of James Hibburd Committee No.1623 Sep 18594 Jul 18609mths 12days3rd (1859 - 1860)
Seizure of Opium per “Kate Hooper” Committee No.4113 Apr 18604 Jul 18602mths 22days3rd (1859 - 1860)
Alleged Embezzlement of Public Moneys by Corporal Francis Committee No.812 Oct 18609 Nov 186029days3rd (1859 - 1860)
Distribution of Relief to Sufferers by last Flood at Windsor Committee No.517 Sep 186120 Jan 18624mths 4days4th (1860 - 1864)
Reverend W.B Clarke Committee No.620 Sep 186120 Jan 18624mths 1day4th (1860 - 1864)
Mr F.W Birmingham Committee No.101 Oct 186120 Jan 18623mths 20days4th (1860 - 1864)
System of Railway Locomotion proposed by Mr E.Bell Committee No.1812 Nov 186120 Jan 18622mths 9days4th (1860 - 1864)
Resignation of Mr Quodling, late Inspector of Roads in the Northern Districts Committee No.1926 Nov 186115 Jan 18524th (1860 - 1864)Chairman
Field of Mars Common Committee No.2231 Dec 186114 Jan 186215days4th (1860 - 1864)
Land Titles Declaration Bill Committee No.810 Jun 18622 Sep 18622mths 24days4th (1860 - 1864)
Management of the Central Police Office Committee No.138 Jul 186212 Dec 18625mths 5days4th (1860 - 1864)
Mr J.E Liardet Committee No.1422 Jul 186220 Dec 18624mths 29days4th (1860 - 1864)
Tanners and Curriers Bill of 1859-60 Committee No.185 Aug 186219 Sep 18621mth 15days4th (1860 - 1864)
Slaughter of Cattle under Cattle Disease Prevention Act Committee No.175 Aug 18622 Dec 18623mths 28days4th (1860 - 1864)
State of Manufactures and Agriculture in the Colony Committee No.262 Sep 186212 Dec 18623mths 11days4th (1860 - 1864)
Pawnbrokers Bill Committee No.3 Oct 186220 Dec 18622mths 18days4th (1860 - 1864)
Petition of Thomas Duke Allen Committee No.4319 Nov 186219 Dec 18621mth 1day4th (1860 - 1864)
Railway through Ultimo Estate No.442 Dec 186220 Dec 186219days4th (1860 - 1864)
Harbour Defences Committee No.61 Jul 186320 Oct 18633mths 20days4th (1860 - 1864)
Miss Isabella Mary Kelly Committee No.51 Jul 186320 Oct 18633mths 20days4th (1860 - 1864)
Penal, Reformatory, and Charitable Establishments Committee No.88 Jul 186322 Apr 18649mths 15days4th (1860 - 1864)
Petition of Thomas Duke Allen Committee No.1121 Jul 18638 Dec 18634mths 18days4th (1860 - 1864)
Robert Stewart Committee No.1311 Aug 186320 Oct 18632mths 10days4th (1860 - 1864)
Death of John Hart in Benevolent Asylum at Liverpool Committee No.2215 Sep 18632 Mar 18645mths 17days4th (1860 - 1864)
Mr James K.Montgomery – Claim for Compensation Committee No.2415 Sep 186322 Apr 18647mths 8days4th (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)
Bathurst Market Bill Committee No.3630 Mar 186431 Mar 18642days4th (1860 - 1864)
Bank of New South Wales Incorporation Act Amendment Bill Committee No.325 Dec 186412 Feb 18644th (1860 - 1864)
Mr Austin Forrest Wilshire (Tanneries, & c.)3 May 18658 Jun 18651mth 6days5th (1865 - 1869)
Claim of Mr Benjamin Richards to lease of “Yaraldool” Run Committee No.927 Aug 186728 Nov 18673mths 2days5th (1865 - 1869)
Mr Alexander Walker Scott – Land taken by Hunter River Railway Committee No.51 Oct 186911 Nov 18691mth 11days5th (1865 - 1869)
Marine Board Bill Committee No.88 Sep 187017 Mar 18716mths 10days6th (1870 - 1872)
Government Printing Office Committee No.913 Sep 18704 May 18717mths 22days6th (1870 - 1872)
Yass Roman Catholic Church Land Bill Committee No.2018 Apr 187121 Apr 18714days6th (1870 - 1872)
Removal of Public Money from Bank of New South Wales Committee No.1411 May 187522 Jun 18751mth 12days8th (1875 - 1877)
Royal Society of New South Wales Incorporation Bill Committee No.1916 Sep 188127 Sep 188112days10th (1880 - 1882)

Community Activity

New South Wales Agent-General in London from 1876 until 1879. Commissioned as a Justice of the Peace in 1842. Removed from the lists in 1849.


Qualifications, occupations and interests

Pastoralist. Educated at regimental school, India; Reverend J. Crawford's school, Donnybrook, Ireland; W.T. Cape's School and The King's School, New South Wales. Accompanied one of first overland expeditions to Port Phillip; from 1839 bought land and squatting runs; by 1840 had station near Port Macquarie and property in Clarence River district; acquired property in New England district 1848; pioneered Burnett and Wide Bay districts 1849-1854, his runs there totalling c. 64,000 acres; when retired from active control of properties 1867, still had c. 80,000 acres in Queensland. Frequent contributor to Atlas, Empire, Southern Cross and other papers; well known as literary critic, satirist, political essayist, poet. Author of The Weir-Wolf: a tragedy, 1876; The Brothers: a drama, 1877, Political Presentments, 1878; and Midas, 1884. Estate valued at £30,000.


Personal

Son of Thomas Forster, army surgeon, and his wife Eliza Blaxland, daughter of Gregory Blaxland of New South Wales. Married (1) Eliza Jane Wall on 8 April 1846 at Parramatta, to, daughter of Colonel Charles William Wall, and had issue, 2 sons and 6 daughters. Married (2) Maud Julia Edwards on 8 November 1873 at Armidale, and had issue, 3 sons and 2 daughters. Migrated with his parents from India to Wales 1822, Ireland 1825, and New South Wales in 1829. Church of England.


Additional Information

Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 4 David Clune and Ken Turner (Editors), The Premiers of New South Wales: Volume 1 - 1856 - 1901, The Federation Press, Sydney, 2006 [Chapter 4: "Forster, William", by David Clune, p. 69]



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