1. Home
  2. Members
  3. Former Members
  4. Former Members Index A-Z
Contact Print this page Reduce font size Increase font size

Sir Alexander STUART (1824 - 1886)

  • Date of Birth: 21/03/1824
  • Place of Birth: Edinburgh, Scotland
  • Date of Death: 16/06/1886
  • Place of Death: London, England

Parliamentary Service

Position Start End Period Parliament Notes
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly9 Dec 18747 Oct 188510yr(s) 9mth(s) 29day(s)
Member of the NSW Legislative Council17 Nov 188516 Jun 18867mth(s)Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 7 October 1885
Member for East Sydney9 Dec 18748 Feb 18761yr(s) 2mth(s)8th (1875 - 1877)
Member for East Sydney15 Feb 187612 Oct 18771yr(s) 7mth(s) 28day(s)8th (1875 - 1877)
Member for East Sydney24 Oct 187725 Nov 18792yr(s) 1mth(s) 2day(s)9th (1877 - 1880)
Member for Illawarra7 Jul 18809 Nov 18804mth(s) 3day(s)9th (1877 - 1880)
Member for Illawarra20 Nov 188023 Nov 18822yr(s) 4day(s)10th (1880 - 1882)
Member for Illawarra9 Dec 18825 Jan 188328day(s)11th (1882 - 1885)
Member for Illawarra10 Jan 18837 Oct 18852yr(s) 8mth(s) 28day(s)11th (1882 - 1885)
Colonial Treasurer8 Feb 187621 Mar 18771yr(s) 1mth(s) 14day(s)
Colonial Secretary5 Jan 18836 Oct 18852yr(s) 9mth(s) 2day(s)
Premier5 Jan 18836 Oct 18852yr(s) 9mth(s) 2day(s)
Acting Secretary for Public Works 29 Mar 188327 May 18831mth(s) 29day(s)
Library Committee No.331 Mar 187511 Aug 18754mths 12days8th (1875 - 1877)
All Saints Parsonage Bill Committee No.72 Apr 187513 Apr 187512days8th (1875 - 1877)
Dubbo Presbyterian Manse Trustee Bill Committee No.1027 Apr 187529 Apr 18753days8th (1875 - 1877)
Removal of Public Money from Bank of New South Wales Committee No.1411 May 187522 Jun 18751mth 12days8th (1875 - 1877)
Diseases affecting Live Stock Committee No.1915 Jul 187511 Aug 187528days8th (1875 - 1877)
Library Committee No.218 Nov 187522 Aug 18769mths 5days8th (1875 - 1877)
Diseases affecting Live Stock Committee No.726 Nov 187513 Jul 18767mths 18days8th (1875 - 1877)
Employment of Children Committee No.914 Dec 18753 Aug 18767mths 21days8th (1875 - 1877)
Library Committee No.214 Dec 187611 Oct 18779mths 28days8th (1875 - 1877)
Employment of Children Committee No.619 Dec 18769 May 18774mths 21days8th (1875 - 1877)
Bathurst and Grafton and Armidale Lands Transfer Bill Committee No.1330 Jan 187722 Feb 187724days8th (1875 - 1877)
Albert Dangar’s Leasing Act Amendment Bill Committee No.1917 May 18771 Jun 187716days8th (1875 - 1877)Chairman
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.128 Nov 187728 Nov 18771day9th (1877 - 1880)
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.230 Nov 187731 Jan 18782mths 2days9th (1877 - 1880)
Library Committee No.430 Jan 187821 May 18783mths 22days9th (1877 - 1880)
Newcastle Glebe Leasing Bill Committee No.730 Jan 187821 May 18783mths 22days9th (1877 - 1880)Chairman
Standing Orders Committee No.530 Jan 187821 May 18783mths 22days9th (1877 - 1880)
Sunday Sale of Liquors Prevention Bill Committee No.2122 Mar 187816 May 18781mth 25days9th (1877 - 1880)
Valedictory Address to His Excellency the Governor Committee No.2413 Mar 187913 Mar 18791day9th (1877 - 1880)
Railway through the City of Sydney Committee No.530 Oct 187913 Jul 18808mths 14days9th (1877 - 1880)
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.717 Dec 188015 Mar 18812mths 27days10th (1880 - 1882)
Refreshment Room No.417 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)
Church of England Trust Property Incorporation Bill Committee No.1128 Jan 188122 Feb 188126days10th (1880 - 1882)Chairman
Refreshment Room No.56 Jul 188120 Dec 18815mths 15days10th (1880 - 1882)
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.97 Jul 188120 Dec 18815mths 14days10th (1880 - 1882)
United Church of England and Ireland School at Paddington Sale Bill Committee No.1326 Aug 18811 Sep 18817days10th (1880 - 1882)
Presbyterian Church Property Management Bill Committee No.1530 Aug 188127 Sep 188129days10th (1880 - 1882)
Standing Orders Committee No.330 Aug 188221 Nov 18822mths 23days10th (1880 - 1882)
Library Committee No.230 Aug 188221 Nov 18822mths 23days10th (1880 - 1882)
Standing Orders Committee No.318 Jan 18832 May 18833mths 15days11th (1882 - 1885)
Library Committee No.218 Jan 18832 May 18833mths 15days11th (1882 - 1885)
Refreshment Room No.418 Jan 18832 May 18833mths 15days11th (1882 - 1885)
Working of the Fisheries Act of 1881 Committee No.730 Jan 188321 Apr 18832mths 23days11th (1882 - 1885)
Mr Lamont Young and Party Committee No.206 Apr 18832 May 188327days11th (1882 - 1885)
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.19 Oct 18839 Oct 18831day11th (1882 - 1885)
Refreshment Room Committee No.410 Oct 18831 Nov 18841yr 23days11th (1882 - 1885)
Standing Orders Committee No.310 Oct 18831 Nov 18841yr 23days11th (1882 - 1885)
Library Committee No.210 Oct 18831 Nov 18841yr 23days11th (1882 - 1885)
Mr Lamont Young and Party Committee No.612 Oct 188325 Jun 18848mths 14days11th (1882 - 1885)
Claims of Immigrants by ship “Northampton” Committee No.716 Oct 18831 Nov 18841yr 17days11th (1882 - 1885)
Address of Condolence with Her Majesty the Queen Committee No.431 Apr 18841 Apr 18841day11th (1882 - 1885)Chairman
Medical Bill Committee No.5213 Jun 18841 Nov 18844mths 20days11th (1882 - 1885)
Blandford Proprietary School Bill Committee No.5415 Jul 18841 Nov 18843mths 18days11th (1882 - 1885)
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.19 Sep 18859 Sep 18851day12th (1885 - 1887)
Library Committee No.624 Sep 18852 Oct 18859days12th (1885 - 1887)
Refreshment Room Committee No.724 Sep 18852 Oct 18859days12th (1885 - 1887)
Standing Orders Committee No.524 Sep 18852 Oct 18859days12th (1885 - 1887)

Qualifications, occupations and interests

Businessman. Educated at Edinburgh Academy from 1832 until 1835; attended University of Edinburgh but did not graduate. Worked in merchant's offices in Leith and Glasgow; then manager of North Ireland Linen Mills, Belfast. Joined Carr Tagore & Co., mercantile and banking firm in Calcutta. Moved to New Zealand in 1850 and arrived in Sydney in October 1851; Travelled to Ballarat goldfield, Victoria, for few months; returned to New Zealand, where failed in sheep farming venture; returned to New South Wales August 1852. Joined Bank of New South Wales as assistant secretary in 1852; also assistant inspector in 1853; Secretary and inspector 1854 at £1200 p.a. Partner in R. Towns (q.v.) & Co. 1855, and senior partner on Towns' death in 1873. Director of the Bank of New South Wales from 1855 until 1861, 1867 until 1876, 1877 until 1879; President in 1861. In 1860s and 1870s was Trustee of Savings Bank of New South Wales and sometime Chairman Australian General Assurance Company. Director of Waratah Coal Co; took up extensive mining leases in Illawarra district in 1870s; from late 1870s chairman and proprietor Coal Cliff Coal Co. and a Director of the Trust and Agency Co. of Australia. In 1880s a Director of the National Mutual Life Association of Australasia Limited, the Bowenfels Coal Mining and Copper Smelting Company and the Sydney Exchange Co. (1882 until 1886); also local director of the North British and Mercantile Insurance Company. In 1860s invested extensively and unprofitably in properties in Queensland through R. Towns & Co; had real estate on North Shore, Sydney; owned two steamships built 1879. Almost bankrupt from1879 until 1880, but recovered. Commissioner for New South Wales at International Exhibition, Philadelphia, 1876; Executive Commissioner for New South Wales at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition 1886. Devout Anglican; lay member Sydney Diocesan synods from 1866; active on standing committee; represented Sydney on Provincial Synod from 1874 until 1883 and on General Synod from 1876; member of St Andrew's Cathedral Chapter from 1868; trustee Church lands, and of Moore Theological College; on Committee Church Society; fellow St Paul's College, University of Sydney; a founder of the Church of England Defence Association; asked by Bishop Barker to stand for the Legislative Assembly in 1874; favoured state aid to church schools. Friend of Charles Cowper from early 1850s; sued Rev. J.D. Lang for criminal libel 1855, resulting in latter's imprisonment for 6 months. Handicapped by stroke from October 1884. Estate valued at £83, 600.


Honours Received

Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1885


Personal

Son of Alexander Stuart, writer to the signet, and his wife Mary McKnight. Married Christiana Eliza Wood on 10 November 1853 at Cobbity, New South Wales had issue, l son and 3 daughters.


Additional Information

Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: Robert Towns and Company - papers, 1829 - 1940, including personal papers of Sir Alexander Stuart and W.E Wilson (MLMSS 1279); photographs in the PICMAN Database. Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 6 A biography is on the 'Electric Scotland' Website: http://www.electricscotland.com/history/australia/stuart_alexander.htm David Clune and Ken Turner (Editors), The Premiers of New South Wales: Volume 1 - 1856 - 1901, The Federation Press, Sydney, 2006 [Chapter 9: "Stuart, Alexander", by Martha Rutledge, p. 153]



Last modified 15/09/2008 13:30:04   :   Update this page