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Sir John LACKEY, KCMG (1830 - 1903)

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Date of Birth: 06/10/1830
Place of Birth: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death: 11/11/1903
Place of Death: Moss Vale, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
President of the Legislative Council 26 Jan 1892 23 May 1903 11 years 3 months 28 days
Vice President of Executive Council 17 Jan 1889 07 Mar 1889 1 month 19 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 08 Sep 1885 11 Nov 1903 18 years 2 months 4 days Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 31 August 1885
Victorian Coal-mining Company’s Bill (No2) Committee No.45 30 Apr 1884 10 Jun 1884 1 month 12 days
Victorian Coal Mining Company’s Bill Committee No.38 26 Feb 1884 25 Apr 1884 2 months
Member for Central Cumberland 05 Dec 1882 30 Aug 1885 2 years 8 months 26 days
Jeanneret’s Tramway Bill Committee No.17 18 Mar 1881 29 Mar 1881 12 days
Mount Kembla Coal and Oil Company’s Railway Bill Committee No.9 25 Jan 1881 28 Jan 1881 4 days
Member for Central Cumberland 22 Nov 1880 23 Nov 1882 2 years 2 days
Dismissal of Mr Daniels, Railway Trial Surveyor Committee No.21 16 Apr 1880 13 Jul 1880 2 months 28 days
Bridge over the Parramatta River Committee No.17 10 Feb 1880 13 Jul 1880 5 months 4 days
Sydney City and Suburban Tramway and Omnibus Company’s Bill Committee No.14 16 Dec 1879 26 Feb 1880 2 months 11 days
Joadja Creek Railway Bill Committee No.13 03 Dec 1879 17 Dec 1879 15 days
Railway through the City of Sydney Committee No.5 30 Oct 1879 13 Jul 1880 8 months 14 days Chairman
Valedictory Address to His Excellency the Governor Committee No.24 13 Mar 1879 13 Mar 1879 1 day
Member for Central Cumberland 31 Dec 1878 09 Nov 1880 1 year 10 months 10 days
Secretary for Public Works 21 Dec 1878 04 Jan 1883 4 years 15 days
Address of Condolence with Her Majesty The Queen Committee No.21 17 Dec 1878 17 Dec 1878 1 day
Mudgee Turf Club Bill Committee No.20 20 Nov 1878 26 Feb 1879 3 months 7 days
Primitive Methodist Church Temporalities Bill Committee No.17 01 Nov 1878 14 Nov 1878 14 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.8 11 Sep 1878 27 Sep 1878 17 days
Metropolitan Cattle Sale Yards Committee No.13 12 Feb 1878 20 Mar 1878 1 month 9 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 30 Nov 1877 31 Jan 1878 2 months 2 days
Member for Central Cumberland 26 Oct 1877 20 Dec 1878 1 year 1 month 25 days
Member for Central Cumberland 31 Aug 1877 12 Oct 1877 1 month 12 days
Minister of Justice and Public Instruction 17 Aug 1877 17 Dec 1877 4 months 1 day
Orange Gas-Light Bill Committee No.11 21 Dec 1876 11 Jan 1877 22 days
Condition of the Aborigines Committee No.7 19 Dec 1876 11 Oct 1877 9 months 23 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 14 Dec 1876 11 Oct 1877 9 months 28 days
The Case of Alfred Arnold Committee No.24 16 May 1876 27 Jun 1876 1 month 12 days
Supply of Coal for Railway Purposes Committee No.16 29 Feb 1876 30 Jun 1876 4 months 2 days
Fitzgerald’s Enabling Bill Committee No.8 01 Dec 1875 14 Dec 1875 14 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 18 Nov 1875 22 Aug 1876 9 months 5 days
Blakefield v. Shields Committee No.18 13 Jul 1875 04 Aug 1875 23 days
Petition of Mr Stephen Stanbridge Committee No.17 30 Jun 1875 28 Jul 1875 29 days
Australasia Coal Company’s Bill Committee No.16 10 Jun 1875 07 Jul 1875 28 days
Removal of Public Money from Bank of New South Wales Committee No.14 11 May 1875 22 Jun 1875 1 month 12 days
Petition of Amos Davis Committee No.13 07 May 1875 10 Aug 1875 3 months 4 days
Letter addressed to M.M Rochefort and Grousset Committee No.12 04 May 1875 01 Jun 1875 29 days
Petition of Messrs. Blomfield and Munford Committee No.9 20 Apr 1875 11 Aug 1875 3 months 23 days
Waratah Coal Company’s Bill Committee No.6 02 Apr 1875 13 Apr 1875 12 days
Standing Orders Committee No.4 31 Mar 1875 11 Aug 1875 4 months 12 days
Member for Central Cumberland 18 Feb 1875 17 Aug 1877 2 years 6 months
Secretary for Public Works 09 Feb 1875 21 Mar 1877 2 years 1 month 13 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 28 Jan 1875 28 Jan 1875 1 day
Member for Central Cumberland 08 Jan 1875 09 Feb 1875 1 month 2 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.7 04 Nov 1874 26 Nov 1874 23 days
Library Committee No.2 04 Nov 1874 26 Nov 1874 23 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 04 Nov 1874 26 Nov 1874 23 days
Parnell’s Leasing Bill Committee No.25 22 Jan 1874 29 Jan 1874 8 days
Greta Coal and Shale Mining Company’s Bill Committee No.21 14 Jan 1874 22 Jan 1874 9 days
Bishopthorpe Estate Bill Committee No.20 02 Dec 1873 17 Dec 1873 16 days Chairman
Lee’s Partition and Sale Bill Committee No:16 18 Nov 1873 25 Nov 1873 8 days
Lithgow Valley Colliery Railway Bill Committee No.12 14 Oct 1873 15 Oct 1873 2 days Chairman
Australian Jockey Club Bill Committee No.8 01 Oct 1873 08 Oct 1873 8 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 11 Sep 1873 24 Jun 1874 9 months 14 days
Library Committee No.2 10 Sep 1873 25 Jun 1874 9 months 16 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 10 Sep 1873 25 Jun 1874 9 months 16 days
Petition of James Twaddell Committee No.28 04 Mar 1873 17 Mar 1873 14 days
Bathurst Cattle Sale Yards Bill Committee No.24 07 Feb 1873 14 Mar 1873 1 month 8 days
Bowenfels Coal Mining and Cooper Smelting Company’s Railway Bill Committee No.23 07 Feb 1873 11 Feb 1873 5 days
Petition of George Bell Committee No.19 20 Dec 1872 25 Apr 1873 4 months 6 days
Prince Alfred Hospital Bill Committee No.18 19 Dec 1872 31 Jan 1873 1 month 13 days
Telegraphic Communication Committee No.17 17 Dec 1872 24 Apr 1873 4 months 8 days
Loder's Estate Bill Committee No.8 14 Nov 1872 12 Dec 1872 29 days Chairman
Petersham Church Grant Bill Committee No.9 14 Nov 1872 15 Jan 1873 2 months 2 days
Standing Orders Committee No.4 06 Nov 1872 25 Apr 1873 5 months 20 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 05 Nov 1872 25 Apr 1873 5 months 21 days
Loder’s Estate Bill Committee No.9 25 Jun 1872 11 Jul 1872 17 days Chairman
The Petersham Church Grant Bill Committee No.8 20 Jun 1872 25 Jul 1872 1 month 6 days
Bathurst Gas Bill Committee No.7 14 Jun 1872 21 Jun 1872 8 days
Parramatta Gas Company’s Incorporation Bill Committee No.6 14 Jun 1872 20 Jun 1872 7 days
Standing Orders Committee No.4 12 Jun 1872 13 Aug 1872 2 months 2 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 02 May 1872 02 May 1872 1 day Chairman
Member for Central Cumberland 22 Feb 1872 28 Nov 1874 2 years 9 months 7 days
Loder’s Estate Bill Committee No.9 08 Dec 1871 01 Feb 1872 1 month 25 days
Parramatta Gas Company’s Incorporation Bill Committee No.8 07 Dec 1871 14 Dec 1871 8 days
Standing Orders Committee No.3 15 Nov 1871 01 Feb 1872 2 months 18 days
Camperdown Cemetery Trust Bill Committee No.17 21 Feb 1871 02 Mar 1871 10 days
Claims of Mr Bartholomew Rush Committee No.7 25 Aug 1870 23 Sep 1870 30 days Chairman
Claims of Bartholomew Rush Committee No.24 12 Apr 1870 07 May 1870 26 days
Sale of Liquors Licensing Act Amendment Bill Committee No.21 01 Apr 1870 03 May 1870 1 month 3 days
Bathurst-burr and Thistle Plants Committee No.12 25 Feb 1870 06 Apr 1870 1 month 13 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.7 02 Feb 1870 09 Mar 1870 1 month 8 days
Chairman of Committees 02 Feb 1870 13 Aug 1872 2 years 6 months 12 days
Member for Central Cumberland 28 Dec 1869 03 Feb 1872 2 years 1 month 7 days
Railway Extension Committee No.15 28 Oct 1869 11 Nov 1869 15 days
Cumberland and Camden Bathurst – bur and thistle Bill Committee No.11 22 Oct 1869 12 Nov 1869 22 days
Claims of Mr Bartholomew Rush Committee No.8 08 Oct 1869 13 Nov 1869 1 month 6 days Chairman
Grant for Road from West Maitland to Cessnock Committee No.9 08 Oct 1869 13 Nov 1869 1 month 6 days
Diseases in Grape-vines Prevention Bill Committee No.16 12 Feb 1869 19 Mar 1869 1 month 8 days
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 13 Oct 1868 13 Oct 1868 1 day Chairman
Removal of Mr Rowland Hassall from the Commission of the Peace Committee No.24 16 Mar 1868 18 Mar 1868 3 days
Claims of Mr Bartholomew Rush Committee No.17 22 Nov 1867 01 Apr 1868 4 months 11 days Chairman
Petition of Thomas Larkin Committee No.13 27 Sep 1867 21 Apr 1868 6 months 26 days
Member for Central Cumberland 27 Jun 1867 15 Nov 1869 2 years 4 months 20 days
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 18 Oct 1864 18 Oct 1864 1 day Chairman
Claims of Tenants of the Crown Committee No.35 15 Mar 1864 20 Apr 1864 1 month 6 days
Petition of Thomas Duke Allen Committee No.11 21 Jul 1863 08 Dec 1863 4 months 18 days
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 23 Jun 1863 23 Jun 1863 1 day
Petition of Thomas Duke Allen Committee No.43 19 Nov 1862 19 Dec 1862 1 month 1 day
Gibson’s Estate Bill Committee No.27 02 Sep 1862 04 Sep 1862 3 days
Mr Charles Phillips Lawrence Committee No.19 05 Aug 1862 29 Oct 1862 2 months 25 days
Newcastle Church Land Sale Bill Committee No.21 05 Aug 1862 29 Aug 1862 25 days
Field of Mars Common Committee No.5 03 Jun 1862 26 Sep 1862 3 months 24 days
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 27 May 1862 27 May 1862 1 day
Bellambi and Bulli Coal Mining Company’s Incorporation Bill Committee No.23 03 Jan 1862 07 Jan 1862 5 days
Field of Mars Common Committee No.22 31 Dec 1861 20 Jan 1862 21 days
Osborne Wallsend Coal Company’s Incorporation Bill Committee No.20 26 Nov 1861 06 Dec 1861 11 days
Dr F.Beer Committee No.15 22 Oct 1861 20 Jan 1862 2 months 30 days
Mr F.W Birmingham Committee No.10 01 Oct 1861 20 Jan 1862 3 months 21 days Chairman
Reverend W.B Clarke Committee No.6 20 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 4 months 1 day
State and Management of the Sydney Domain Committee No.20 19 Feb 1861 20 Jan 1862 11 months 2 days
Member for Parramatta 08 Dec 1860 10 Nov 1864 3 years 11 months 3 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 08 Dec 1860 30 Aug 1885 24 years 8 months 23 days
Political Party Activity
Community Activity
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Pastoralist. Educated at John Eyre's school, John Mills' Aldine House, and W.T. Cape's College. Toll collector at Lansdowne Bridge 1849. Bought land near Concord 1853; pastoralist in the Parramatta district. In 1860s took over hotel and adjoining land on Dog Trap Road, Granville; established farm and vineyard. Acquired stations West of Peak Downs, Queensland. Sold farm at Granville late 1870s and moved to Austermere near Bong Bong In 1880s bought Buckwaroon, 108,000 acres near Cobar; acquired adjoining Ampitheatre station, 174,000 acres, and Mereworth Estate, Moss Vale, 1891. Well known breeder of cattle and horses. Chairman of Sydney Meat Preserving Company in 1880s. President of Berrima District Agriculture, Horticultural and Industrial Society; on Committee Cumberland Agriculture Society. Foundation member of the Agricultural Society of New South Wales, becoming trustee, treasurer and vice-president in 1860s. Steward and treasurers of Parramatta Turf Club; judge, handicapper and steward of the Australian Jockey Club; president of Bong Bong Picnic Race Club. Director of Berrima District Cottage Hospital President Centennial Celebration Commission in 1888. Member Union Club from 1869; President, Vice-President Warrigal Club, Sydney. Author of History of Horses, 1873.
Military Service
Honours Received
Commissioned as a Justice of the Peace in 1852; Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) 1894.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of William Lackey, ticket-of-leave man and bailiff, afterwards publican and estate manager, and Mary O'Dowd. Married Martha Anne Drummond on 21 August 1851 at Concord, and had issue, 2 sons and l daughter, 7 stepchildren. Church of England.
Additional Information
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 5 Text from the book: 'The Presiding Officers of the Parliament of New South Wales', Sydney, 1995 John Lackey was born on 6 October 1830 in Sydney. He married the widowed Martha Drummond (who already had seven children) on 21 August 1851 and they had two sons and one daughter. At various stage in his life John Lackey had bought several large tracts of land at Concord, Moss Vale, Cobar and throughout the Parramatta district. In the 1860s he took over a hotel and the adjoining land on Dog Trap Road, Granville, where he established a farm and vineyard. A successful horse breeder, Lackey's love of horses and racing led to an important involvement in the planning and development of Randwick racecourse. Lackey was elected to the Legislative Assembly as the Member for Parramatta from 1860 until 1864, and he held the seat of Central Cumberland for eighteen years from 1867 until 1885. An advocate of land reform, he gladly lent his support to the Robertson Land Acts which promoted free selection before land survey. As Chairman of Committees from 1870 until 1872, Secretary for Public Works from 1875 until 1877 and again from 1878 until 1883 and Minister for Public Instruction for four months in 1877, he developed a reputation for great calmness and courtesy. Consequently he was one of a few Members never called to order. Lackey took an active role in the drive for growth and development by instigating a number of bills that eventually resulted in the construction of several colonial railways. He also suggested that the growing demand for water in Sydney be met by the Nepean River. Resigning from the Legislative Assembly in 1885, Lackey was immediately nominated to the Legislative Council. As one of those responsible for the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works he was the obvious choice to chair the Committee on its inception in 1888; in 1889 he became Vice President of the Executive Council during the Dibbs Ministry. He was appointed to the office of President of the Legislative Council in 1892, resigning in 1903. He remained a Member until his death six months later on 11 November 1903 at Moss Vale.

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.