Sir John SEE (1845 - 1907)**

Date of Birth: 14/11/1845 Place of Birth: Yelling, Huntingdon, England Date of Death: 31/01/1907 Place of Death: Randwick, New South Wales, Australia

Parliamentary Service

Position Start End Period Notes Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 26 Nov 1880 15 Jun 1904 23yr(s) 6mth(s) 21day(s) Member of the NSW Legislative Council 24 Aug 1904 31 Jan 1907 2yr(s) 5mth(s) 8day(s) Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 20 June 1904 Member for Grafton 26 Nov 1880 23 Nov 1882 1yr(s) 11mth(s) 29day(s) 10th (1880 - 1882) Member for Grafton 5 Dec 1882 7 Oct 1885 2yr(s) 10mth(s) 3day(s) 11th (1882 - 1885) Member for Grafton 15 Oct 1885 26 Jan 1887 1yr(s) 3mth(s) 12day(s) 12th (1885 - 1887) Member for Grafton 5 Feb 1887 19 Jan 1889 1yr(s) 11mth(s) 15day(s) 13th (1887 - 1889) Member for Grafton 4 Feb 1889 6 Jun 1891 2yr(s) 4mth(s) 3day(s) 14th (1889 - 1891) Member for Grafton 22 Jun 1891 26 Oct 1891 4mth(s) 5day(s) 15th (1891 - 1894) Member for Grafton 7 Nov 1891 25 Jun 1894 2yr(s) 7mth(s) 19day(s) Member for Grafton 17 Jul 1894 5 Jul 1895 11mth(s) 19day(s) 16th (1894 - 1895) Member for Grafton 20 Jul 1895 8 Jul 1898 2yr(s) 11mth(s) 19day(s) 17th (1895 - 1898) Member for Grafton 27 Jul 1898 14 Sep 1899 1yr(s) 1mth(s) 19day(s) 18th (1898 - 1901) Member for Grafton 22 Sep 1899 11 Jun 1901 1yr(s) 8mth(s) 21day(s) 18th (1898 - 1901) Member for Grafton 3 Jul 1901 15 Jun 1904 2yr(s) 11mth(s) 13day(s) 19th (1901 - 1904) Postmaster General 7 Oct 1885 21 Dec 1885 2mth(s) 15day(s) Colonial Treasurer 23 Oct 1891 2 Aug 1894 2yr(s) 9mth(s) 11day(s) Colonial Secretary 14 Sep 1899 27 Mar 1901 1yr(s) 6mth(s) 14day(s) Colonial Secretary 28 Mar 1901 14 Jun 1904 3yr(s) 2mth(s) 18day(s) Premier 28 Mar 1901 14 Jun 1904 3yr(s) 2mth(s) 18day(s) Jeanneret’s Tramway Bill Committee No.17 18 Mar 1881 29 Mar 1881 12days 10th (1880 - 1882) Grafton Presbyterian Church Land Sale Bill Committee No.24 28 Oct 1881 24 Nov 1881 28days 10th (1880 - 1882) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.5 25 Aug 1882 28 Sep 1882 1mth 4days 10th (1880 - 1882) Working of the Fisheries Act of 1881 Committee No.7 30 Jan 1883 21 Apr 1883 2mths 23days 11th (1882 - 1885) Claim of Mr. Thomas Horton Committee No.39 26 Feb 1884 4 Jul 1884 4mths 9days 11th (1882 - 1885) The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 19 Nov 1884 19 Nov 1884 1day 11th (1882 - 1885) The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 9 Sep 1885 9 Sep 1885 1day 12th (1885 - 1887) Refreshment Room Committee No.7 24 Sep 1885 2 Oct 1885 9days 12th (1885 - 1887) Christian Chapel Land Sale Bill Committee No.10 25 Sep 1885 2 Oct 1885 8days 12th (1885 - 1887) Randwick Cemetery Unused Land Sale Bill Committee No.8 25 Sep 1885 2 Oct 1885 8days 12th (1885 - 1887) Barker’s Estate Bill Committee No.19 29 Sep 1885 30 Sep 1885 2days 12th (1885 - 1887) St Mary’s Waverley Church of England Sale Bill Committee No.18 29 Sep 1885 30 Sep 1885 2days 12th (1885 - 1887) Claim of Mr Thomas Horton Committee No.15 28 Jan 1886 10 Feb 1886 14days 12th (1885 - 1887) Alleged Abuses in Connection with the Shipping of New South Wales Committee No.51 18 Jun 1886 25 Oct 1886 4mths 8days 12th (1885 - 1887) Privilege-Mr Barbour, MP Committee No.53 22 Jun 1886 22 Jul 1886 1mth 1day 12th (1885 - 1887) Illawarra Steam Navigation Act Amendment Bill Committee No.62 24 Aug 1886 27 Aug 1886 4days 12th (1885 - 1887) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 22 Sep 1887 11 Oct 1887 20days 13th (1887 - 1889) Purchase by the Government of land adjoining the Australasian Steam Navigation Company’s Wharf Committee No.10 28 Sep 1887 29 Feb 1888 5mths 2days 13th (1887 - 1889) Trustees of Presbyterian Cemetery at Maclean Committee No.21 13 Oct 1887 26 Oct 1887 14days 13th (1887 - 1889) Grafton School of Arts Trustees Enabling Bill Committee No.31 25 Nov 1887 14 Dec 1887 20days 13th (1887 - 1889) Chairman Petition of George Matcham Pitt, junior Committee No.33 16 Dec 1887 1888 4mths 11days 13th (1887 - 1889) West Maitland Cattle Sale-yards Bill Committee No.60 12 Jun 1888 14 Jun 1888 3days 13th (1887 - 1889) Agricultural Society of New South Wales Lease Bill Committee No.9 5 Dec 1889 10 Dec 1889 6days 14th (1889 - 1891) Post Office Savings Bank-National Bank Committee No.15 29 Nov 1892 16 May 1893 5mths 18days 15th (1891 - 1894) Silkstone Coal-mine Railway Act Amending Bill Committee No.10 15 Nov 1893 21 Nov 1893 7days 15th (1891 - 1894) Operation of the Shipping Laws Committee No.6 23 Jan 1894 5 Jun 1894 4mths 14days 16th (1894 - 1895) Address of Condolence to Lady Duff. Committee No. 16 19 Mar 1895 5 Jul 1895 3mths 17days 16th (1894 - 1895) Standing Orders. Committee No. 2 20 Aug 1895 8 Jul 1898 2yrs 10mths 19days 17th (1895 - 1898) Standing Orders Committee No.2 14 May 1896 16 Nov 1896 6mths 3days 17th (1895 - 1898) North Shore Bridge Bill Committee No.13 1 Jul 1896 28 Jul 1896 28days 17th (1895 - 1898) Standing Orders Committee No.2 28 Apr 1897 18 Aug 1897 3mths 22days 17th (1895 - 1898) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 28 Apr 1897 10 Dec 1897 7mths 13days 17th (1895 - 1898) Standing Orders Committee No. 2 28 Jun 1898 8 Jul 1898 11days 17th (1895 - 1898) Standing Orders Committee No. 3 25 Aug 1898 23 Dec 1898 3mths 29days 18th (1898 - 1901) Standing Orders Committee No.1 21 Feb 1899 30 Mar 1899 1mth 10days 18th (1898 - 1901) Standing Orders Committee No.2 13 Apr 1899 21 Apr 1899 9days 18th (1898 - 1901) Standing Orders Committee No.4 8 Aug 1899 23 Dec 1899 4mths 16days 18th (1898 - 1901) Claim of Mr Sherlock Barron, North Botany Committee No.10 15 Aug 1899 23 Nov 1899 3mths 9days 18th (1898 - 1901) Lismore Municipal Boundaries Bill Committee No.12 19 Oct 1899 24 Oct 1899 6days 18th (1898 - 1901) Standing Orders Committee No.4 20 Jun 1900 24 Jul 1900 1mth 5days 18th (1898 - 1901) Claim of Mr. J. L. Davidson, Paddington Committee No. 12 3 Jul 1900 13 Sep 1900 2mths 11days 18th (1898 - 1901) Municipal District of Inverell Reduced Area Bill Committee No.13 24 Jul 1900 18 Oct 1900 2mths 25days 18th (1898 - 1901) Administration of the Military Department Committee No.14 26 Jul 1900 1 Nov 1900 3mths 7days 18th (1898 - 1901) Case of Quartermaster Sergeant Troy Committee No.21 6 Sep 1900 29 Sep 1900 24days 18th (1898 - 1901) Removal from the Public Service of Mr Frederick Glynn Committee No.3 6 Aug 1901 19 Dec 1901 4mths 14days 19th (1901 - 1904) Printing Committee No.7 8 Aug 1901 19 Dec 1901 4mths 12days 19th (1901 - 1904) Standing Orders Committee No.5 8 Aug 1901 20 Dec 1901 4mths 13days 19th (1901 - 1904) Refreshment Committee No.6 8 Aug 1901 20 Dec 1901 4mths 13days 19th (1901 - 1904) Library Committee No.4 8 Aug 1901 20 Dec 1901 4mths 13days 19th (1901 - 1904) Claims of Robert Roberts, late bookbinder in the Registrar-General’s Office Committee No.14 20 Nov 1901 19 Dec 1901 30days 19th (1901 - 1904) Inverell Gas, Coke, Coal, and Electric Lighting Company (Limited) Bill Committee No.15 17 Dec 1901 18 Dec 1901 2days 19th (1901 - 1904) Printing Committee No.6 17 Jun 1902 19 Dec 1902 6mths 3days 19th (1901 - 1904) Refreshment Committee No.5 17 Jun 1902 20 Dec 1902 6mths 4days 19th (1901 - 1904) Library Committee No.3 17 Jun 1902 20 Dec 1902 6mths 4days 19th (1901 - 1904) System of Municipal Government for Greater Sydney Committee No.9 20 Jun 1902 20 Dec 1902 6mths 1day 19th (1901 - 1904) Claim of Robert Roberts, late bookbinder in the Registrar General’s Office Committee No.12 19 Aug 1902 14 Nov 1902 2mths 27days 19th (1901 - 1904) Condition of the Blind Workers of the State Committee No.16 9 Sep 1902 20 Dec 1902 3mths 12days 19th (1901 - 1904) Printing Committee No.7 1 Jul 1903 1 Dec 1903 5mths 1day 19th (1901 - 1904) Library Committee No.5 1 Jul 1903 1 Dec 1903 5mths 1day 19th (1901 - 1904) Refreshment Committee No.6 1 Jul 1903 1 Dec 1903 5mths 1day 19th (1901 - 1904) Standing Orders Committee No.4 1 Jul 1903 1 Dec 1903 5mths 1day 19th (1901 - 1904) Prevalence of the Gambling Evil Committee No.10 20 Aug 1903 1 Dec 1903 3mths 12days 19th (1901 - 1904) Brodie’s Enabling Act Amendment Bill Committee No.12 2 Sep 1903 16 Sep 1903 15days 19th (1901 - 1904)

Community Activity

Commissioned as a Justice of the Peace in 1878; Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1902

Qualifications, occupations and interests

Merchant; shipowner. Arrived in New South Wales with parents 1853; family settled on Hunter River. Educated in Hinton, Hunter River. Worked on family farm; with brothers took up land at Southgate on the Clarence River in 1861. Moved to Sydney in 1865; became produce merchant, firm becoming John See & Company 1884; partner in Nipper & See, coastal shipping line, which in 1891 amalgamated with two other lines to form North Coast Steam Navigation Company., of which See became managing director; director of Newcastle and Hunter River Steam Navigation Company., and of London and Lancashire Fire Insurance Company, North Old Insurance Company, Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation, W.H. Soul Pattinson & Co., Gloucester Estate Company. Also director of Citizens' Life Assurance Company., chairman 1896-1907. Held interest in Daily Telegraph Newspaper Company.; founder and director Australia Star Newspaper Company in 1887. Known as a shrewd investor; speculated successfully in land. Trustee of the Savings Bank of New South Wales. President of Royal Agricultural Society 1890-1907; Director of Sydney Hospital 1900-1903; trustee National Park, Captain Cook's Landing Place, Kurnell, and Sydney Cricket Ground. Commander International Exhibitions Amsterdam 1883; Calcutta 1884, London 1886, Melbourne 1888, Chicago 1893. Freemason.

Local Government Activity

Alderman Randwick 1878 until 1890. Mayor 1880 until 1881, 1886

Personal

Third son of Joseph See, farmer, and his wife Mary Ann Bailey. Married Charlotte Mary Matthews in February 1875, and had issue 10 children; 3 sons and 4 daughters survived him.

Additional Information

Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 11 G. G. O'Brien, "John See: Colonial Treasurer and some developments affecting the Treasury of New South Wales 1891 - 1894", MA Thesis, University of Sydney, 1973. Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: Sir John See - papers, 1885 - 1905 (A3649 - A3677, *D2) [CY 3589 - CY] 3590; photographs in the PICMAN Database.

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