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 Notes Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 9 Dec 1874 7 Oct 1885 10yr(s) 9mth(s) 29day(s) Member of the NSW Legislative Council 17 Nov 1885 16 Jun 1886 7mth(s) Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 7 October 1885 Member for East Sydney 9 Dec 1874 8 Feb 1876 1yr(s) 2mth(s) 8th (1875 - 1877) Member for East Sydney 15 Feb 1876 12 Oct 1877 1yr(s) 7mth(s) 28day(s) 8th (1875 - 1877) Member for East Sydney 24 Oct 1877 25 Nov 1879 2yr(s) 1mth(s) 2day(s) 9th (1877 - 1880) Member for Illawarra 7 Jul 1880 9 Nov 1880 4mth(s) 3day(s) 9th (1877 - 1880) Member for Illawarra 20 Nov 1880 23 Nov 1882 2yr(s) 4day(s) 10th (1880 - 1882) Member for Illawarra 9 Dec 1882 5 Jan 1883 28day(s) 11th (1882 - 1885) Member for Illawarra 10 Jan 1883 7 Oct 1885 2yr(s) 8mth(s) 28day(s) 11th (1882 - 1885) Colonial Treasurer 8 Feb 1876 21 Mar 1877 1yr(s) 1mth(s) 14day(s) Colonial Secretary 5 Jan 1883 6 Oct 1885 2yr(s) 9mth(s) 2day(s) Premier 5 Jan 1883 6 Oct 1885 2yr(s) 9mth(s) 2day(s) Acting Secretary for Public Works 29 Mar 1883 27 May 1883 1mth(s) 29day(s) Library Committee No.3 31 Mar 1875 11 Aug 1875 4mths 12days 8th (1875 - 1877) All Saints Parsonage Bill Committee No.7 2 Apr 1875 13 Apr 1875 12days 8th (1875 - 1877) Dubbo Presbyterian Manse Trustee Bill Committee No.10 27 Apr 1875 29 Apr 1875 3days 8th (1875 - 1877) Removal of Public Money from Bank of New South Wales Committee No.14 11 May 1875 22 Jun 1875 1mth 12days 8th (1875 - 1877) Diseases affecting Live Stock Committee No.19 15 Jul 1875 11 Aug 1875 28days 8th (1875 - 1877) Library Committee No.2 18 Nov 1875 22 Aug 1876 9mths 5days 8th (1875 - 1877) Diseases affecting Live Stock Committee No.7 26 Nov 1875 13 Jul 1876 7mths 18days 8th (1875 - 1877) Employment of Children Committee No.9 14 Dec 1875 3 Aug 1876 7mths 21days 8th (1875 - 1877) Library Committee No.2 14 Dec 1876 11 Oct 1877 9mths 28days 8th (1875 - 1877) Employment of Children Committee No.6 19 Dec 1876 9 May 1877 4mths 21days 8th (1875 - 1877) Bathurst and Grafton and Armidale Lands Transfer Bill Committee No.13 30 Jan 1877 22 Feb 1877 24days 8th (1875 - 1877) Albert Dangar’s Leasing Act Amendment Bill Committee No.19 17 May 1877 1 Jun 1877 16days 8th (1875 - 1877) Chairman The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 28 Nov 1877 28 Nov 1877 1day 9th (1877 - 1880) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 30 Nov 1877 31 Jan 1878 2mths 2days 9th (1877 - 1880) Library Committee No.4 30 Jan 1878 21 May 1878 3mths 22days 9th (1877 - 1880) Newcastle Glebe Leasing Bill Committee No.7 30 Jan 1878 21 May 1878 3mths 22days 9th (1877 - 1880) Chairman Standing Orders Committee No.5 30 Jan 1878 21 May 1878 3mths 22days 9th (1877 - 1880) Sunday Sale of Liquors Prevention Bill Committee No.21 22 Mar 1878 16 May 1878 1mth 25days 9th (1877 - 1880) Valedictory Address to His Excellency the Governor Committee No.24 13 Mar 1879 13 Mar 1879 1day 9th (1877 - 1880) Railway through the City of Sydney Committee No.5 30 Oct 1879 13 Jul 1880 8mths 14days 9th (1877 - 1880) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.7 17 Dec 1880 15 Mar 1881 2mths 27days 10th (1880 - 1882) Refreshment Room No.4 17 Dec 1880 6 Apr 1881 3mths 21days 10th (1880 - 1882) Kurrajong Land and Riley Street Surry Hills Land Sales Bill Committee No.6 13 Jan 1881 21 Jan 1881 9days 10th (1880 - 1882) Church of England Trust Property Incorporation Bill Committee No.11 28 Jan 1881 22 Feb 1881 26days 10th (1880 - 1882) Chairman Refreshment Room No.5 6 Jul 1881 20 Dec 1881 5mths 15days 10th (1880 - 1882) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.9 7 Jul 1881 20 Dec 1881 5mths 14days 10th (1880 - 1882) United Church of England and Ireland School at Paddington Sale Bill Committee No.13 26 Aug 1881 1 Sep 1881 7days 10th (1880 - 1882) Presbyterian Church Property Management Bill Committee No.15 30 Aug 1881 27 Sep 1881 29days 10th (1880 - 1882) Standing Orders Committee No.3 30 Aug 1882 21 Nov 1882 2mths 23days 10th (1880 - 1882) Library Committee No.2 30 Aug 1882 21 Nov 1882 2mths 23days 10th (1880 - 1882) Standing Orders Committee No.3 18 Jan 1883 2 May 1883 3mths 15days 11th (1882 - 1885) Library Committee No.2 18 Jan 1883 2 May 1883 3mths 15days 11th (1882 - 1885) Refreshment Room No.4 18 Jan 1883 2 May 1883 3mths 15days 11th (1882 - 1885) Working of the Fisheries Act of 1881 Committee No.7 30 Jan 1883 21 Apr 1883 2mths 23days 11th (1882 - 1885) Mr Lamont Young and Party Committee No.20 6 Apr 1883 2 May 1883 27days 11th (1882 - 1885) The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 9 Oct 1883 9 Oct 1883 1day 11th (1882 - 1885) Refreshment Room Committee No.4 10 Oct 1883 1 Nov 1884 1yr 23days 11th (1882 - 1885) Standing Orders Committee No.3 10 Oct 1883 1 Nov 1884 1yr 23days 11th (1882 - 1885) Library Committee No.2 10 Oct 1883 1 Nov 1884 1yr 23days 11th (1882 - 1885) Mr Lamont Young and Party Committee No.6 12 Oct 1883 25 Jun 1884 8mths 14days 11th (1882 - 1885) Claims of Immigrants by ship “Northampton” Committee No.7 16 Oct 1883 1 Nov 1884 1yr 17days 11th (1882 - 1885) Address of Condolence with Her Majesty the Queen Committee No.43 1 Apr 1884 1 Apr 1884 1day 11th (1882 - 1885) Chairman Medical Bill Committee No.52 13 Jun 1884 1 Nov 1884 4mths 20days 11th (1882 - 1885) Blandford Proprietary School Bill Committee No.54 15 Jul 1884 1 Nov 1884 3mths 18days 11th (1882 - 1885) The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 9 Sep 1885 9 Sep 1885 1day 12th (1885 - 1887) Library Committee No.6 24 Sep 1885 2 Oct 1885 9days 12th (1885 - 1887) Refreshment Room Committee No.7 24 Sep 1885 2 Oct 1885 9days 12th (1885 - 1887) Standing Orders Committee No.5 24 Sep 1885 2 Oct 1885 9days 12th (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]

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