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Member Details

Mr William (2) WALKER (1828 - 1908)

Member Photo
Date of Birth: 26/02/1828
Place of Birth: Glasgow, Scotland
Date of Death: 12/06/1908
Place of Death: Windsor, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 08 Feb 1888 12 Jun 1908 20 years 4 months 5 days Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 30 December 1887
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 13 Oct 1868 13 Oct 1868 1 day
Alleged Irregularity in Registration of a Deed Committee No.17 31 Oct 1866 08 Nov 1866 9 days
Presbyterian College Bill Committee No.18 31 Oct 1866 08 Nov 1866 9 days
Bishopric of Goulburn Lands Investment Bill Committee No.16 11 Oct 1866 17 Oct 1866 7 days
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 24 Jul 1866 24 Jul 1866 1 day
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 27 Jan 1865 27 Jan 1865 1 day Chairman
Bank of New South Wales Incorporation Act Amendment Bill Committee No.32 05 Dec 1864 12 Feb 1864 0 days
Member for Windsor 24 Nov 1864 15 Nov 1869 4 years 11 months 23 days
Presbyterian College Bill Committee No.15 04 Sep 1863 06 Oct 1863 1 month 3 days
Presbyterian College Bill Committee No.25 12 Aug 1862 18 Nov 1862 3 months 7 days
Mr F.W Birmingham Committee No.10 01 Oct 1861 20 Jan 1862 3 months 21 days
Reverend W.B Clarke Committee No.6 20 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 4 months 1 day
Distribution of Relief to Sufferers by last Flood at Windsor Committee No.5 17 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 4 months 4 days
Claims of the Reverend W.B Clarke Committee No.26 12 Mar 1861 11 May 1861 2 months
Member for Windsor 22 Dec 1860 10 Nov 1864 3 years 10 months 20 days
Fitz Roy Dry Dock Committee No.40 10 Apr 1860 04 Jul 1860 2 months 25 days
Member for Windsor 12 Mar 1860 10 Nov 1860 7 months 30 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 12 Mar 1860 15 Nov 1869 9 years 8 months 4 days
Political Party Activity
Freetrade and Liberal Party.
Community Activity
Commissioned as a Justice of the Peace in 1892
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Lawyer (solicitor). Arrived in Sydney in 1837 with parents who settled at Windsor. Educated at fathers school and under Reverend Matthew Adam. Articled to Francis Beddek, Windsor solicitor in 1841 and admitted as a solicitor in 1852; practised successfully at Windsor until death. Founded firm of William Walker & Sons. Windsor correspondent of Sydney Morning Herald. In 1880 claimed a private income and an income from his legal practice. Foundation President of Windsor School of Arts from 1861 until 1878; Member of Hospital Committee from 1854 until 1908; president, vice president; secretary of the school board; secretary from 1854 until 1856; vice president from 1886 until 1892; president from 1892 until 1908 of the Hawkesbury Benevolent Society. Elder of the Presbyterian Church. for many years was a representative at the General Assembly. Member of Anti Transportation Association but opposed radicalism of Reverend J.D Lang. Became an author of many publications.
Military Service
Honours Received
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Alderman at Windsor 1871 - 1880. Mayor in 1880
Personal
Eldest son of George Walker, teacher, and Elizabeth Ferguson. Married (1) Mary Cover Hassall on 29 March 1853 at Windsor and had issue, 2 sons. Married (2) Henrietta Medora Cooper on 24 August 1859 at Paddington and had issue, 3 daughters and 4 sons. Married (3) Jessie Wood on 20 April 1876 at Windsor and had issue, 2 daughters and 2 sons. Presbyterian. His son was Robert Bruce Walker, also a Member of the Legislative Assembly.
Additional Information
Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: 1. William Walker - papers, (MLMSS 501) 2. William Walker - papers, 1845 - 1889 (MLMSS 5578). 3. William Walker - papers (MLMSS 390) Australian Dictionary of Biograph, Volume 6 Walker Papers, Mitchell Library, State Library on New South Wales Walker Papers, Hawkesbury City Council Library - Windsor Central Library, Windsor, New Souith Wales Cathy McHardy, 'William Walker 1828 - 1908 and his home Crescentville Windsor NSW' on the Hawkesbury Historical Society Website: http://www.hawkesburyhistory.org.au/windsor/walker.html [This article contains, inter alia, a summary of the manuscript material available in the Mitchell Library]. Biography and portrait in ‘Australian Men of Mark’, Volume 1. Sydney, [?1889] , page 98