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Member Details

Mr John CAMPBELL (1802 - 1886)

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Date of Birth: 25/07/1802
Place of Birth: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death: 22/01/1886
Place of Death: Stanmore, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 03 Sep 1861 22 Jan 1886 24 years 4 months 20 days Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 24 June 1861.
Federation of the Australian Colonies Committee No.38 03 Apr 1860 04 Jul 1860 3 months 2 days
Member for Glebe 15 Jun 1859 10 Nov 1860 1 year 4 months 27 days
Landed Property in cases of Intestacy Descent Bill Committee No.25 02 Jul 1858 26 Nov 1858 4 months 25 days
Member for Sydney Hamlets 12 Jan 1858 11 Apr 1859 1 year 3 months
Pyrmont Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.15 13 Nov 1857 18 Dec 1857 1 month 6 days
Late Shipwrecks, Port Jackson Committee No.11 30 Oct 1857 18 Dec 1857 1 month 19 days
Liverpool and London Fire and Life Assurance Company’s Bill Committee No.21 18 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months 1 day
Liverpool and London Fire and Life Assurance Company’s Bill Committee No.21 18 Nov 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months 1 day
Member for Sydney Hamlets 10 Oct 1856 19 Dec 1857 1 year 2 months 10 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 10 Oct 1856 10 Nov 1860 4 years 1 month 1 day
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 22 May 1856 07 Jun 1856 17 days First (Quinquennial) Appointments under the Constitution Act.
Political Party Activity
Community Activity
Provided £10,000 to found the diocese of the Riverina and contributed to endowments of see of Grafton and Armidale and bishoprics of Goulburn and Fiji. Made large contributions to St Phillip's Sydney; St Paul's, Canterbury; All Saints, Parramatta; St James, Morpeth; and St John's, Canberra.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Merchant. Educated in England between 1810 and 1820. Was a merchant when he was elected to the Legislative Assembly. In 1822, he and his brother Robert worked for their father in his mercantile, wharf, storage and shipping business, Campbell and Company. By 1830 he was managing the business and became head of it officially in 1836. Was the sole owner on his brother's death in 1859. Sold the business, his land at Dawes Point and Wharf House for £100,000 in 1876.
Military Service
Honours Received
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Eldest son of Robert, a merchant, and Sophia Palmer. Family migrated to England in 1805. Never married. Younger brothers Robert and John and nephew William Robert Campbell were all Parliamentarians. Brother Robert was an elected member of the Old Legislative Council; member of the Legislative Assembly for Sydney (City) in the first Parliament and for Sydney in the second. Twice Colonial Treasurer. Brother Charles was a member of the Legislative Council from 1870 to 1888. Nephew William Robert was a member of the Legislative Assembly for West Sydney in the fifth Parliament; and for The Gwydir in the 10th to 12th Parliaments. Member of the Legislative Council from 1890, until his death in 1906.
Additional Information
References: Australian Dictionary of Biography, volume one; Members of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales 1856-1901

The Parliament of New South Wales acknowledges and respects the traditional lands of all Aboriginal people, and pays respects to all Elders past and present. We acknowledge the Gadigal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Parliament of New South Wales stands.