Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content
MENU
Skip Navigation LinksHome Members

Member Details

Sir Francis Bathurst SUTTOR, Kt (1839 - 1915)

Member Photo
Date of Birth: 30/04/1839
Place of Birth: Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death: 04/04/1915
Place of Death: Darling Point, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Library Committee No.4 06 Aug 1913 15 Oct 1913 2 months 10 days Chairman
Library Committee No.4 07 Aug 1912 05 Dec 1912 3 months 29 days
Library Committee No.4 12 Sep 1911 28 Mar 1912 6 months 17 days
Library Committee No.4 30 May 1911 01 Aug 1911 2 months 3 days
Library Committee No.4 30 Nov 1910 23 Dec 1910 24 days
Library Committee No.4 28 Jun 1910 20 Aug 1910 1 month 24 days
Library Committee No.4 14 Jul 1909 17 Dec 1909 5 months 4 days
Library Committee No.4 05 Aug 1908 19 Dec 1908 4 months 15 days Chairman
Library Committee No.4 05 Aug 1908 19 Dec 1908 4 months 15 days Chairman
Library Committee No.3 13 Mar 1908 11 Apr 1908 30 days Chairman
Library Committee No.3 24 Oct 1907 20 Dec 1907 1 month 27 days Chairman
President of the Legislative Council 23 May 1903 04 Apr 1915 11 years 10 months 13 days
Vice President of Executive Council 12 Jun 1900 23 May 1903 2 years 11 months 12 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 12 Jun 1900 04 Apr 1915 14 years 9 months 24 days Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 12 June 1900. Granted retention of "Honourable" for life.
Tamworth Showground Bill Committee No.15 26 Oct 1899 23 Dec 1899 1 month 28 days
North Shore Bridge Bill Committee No. 15 26 Oct 1898 23 Dec 1898 1 month 28 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No. 2 17 Aug 1898 25 Oct 1898 2 months 9 days
Member for Bathurst 27 Jul 1898 12 Jun 1900 1 year 10 months 17 days
Corowa School of Arts Enabling Bill Committee No.9 24 Oct 1893 08 Dec 1893 1 month 15 days
Gunnedah School of Arts Enabling Bill Committee No.20 23 Feb 1893 23 Mar 1893 1 month 1 day
Hay Athenaeum Trustees Enabling Bill Committee No.17 19 Jan 1893 01 Feb 1893 14 days
Raymond Terrace Mechanics School of Arts Sale Bill Committee No.14 16 Nov 1892 29 Nov 1892 14 days
Colonial Secretary 30 Apr 1892 13 Sep 1892 4 months 15 days
Wagga Wagga School of Arts Enabling Bill Committee No.24 26 Nov 1891 09 Dec 1891 14 days
Member for Bathurst 04 Nov 1891 25 Jun 1894 2 years 7 months 22 days
Minister of Public Instruction 23 Oct 1891 02 Aug 1894 2 years 9 months 11 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.5 16 Jul 1891 18 Aug 1892 1 year 1 month 3 days
Member for Bathurst 17 Jun 1891 26 Oct 1891 4 months 10 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 27 Feb 1889 13 Jun 1891 2 years 3 months 18 days Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 21 February 1889
Minister of Public Instruction 17 Jan 1889 07 Mar 1889 1 month 19 days
Electric Light in Parliamentary Buildings Committee No.63 27 Aug 1886 25 Oct 1886 1 month 29 days
Mr Daniel Behan Committee No.59 06 Aug 1886 25 Oct 1886 2 months 20 days
Member for Bathurst 09 Mar 1886 26 Jan 1887 10 months 18 days
Postmaster General 26 Feb 1886 19 Jan 1887 10 months 25 days
Maryville Colliery Company Railway Bill Committee No.20 24 Feb 1886 29 Apr 1886 2 months 6 days
Kite’s Leasing Bill Committee No.7 04 Dec 1885 17 Feb 1886 2 months 14 days Chairman
Member for Bathurst 23 Oct 1885 02 Mar 1886 4 months 8 days
Kite’s Leasing Bill Committee No.11 25 Sep 1885 02 Oct 1885 8 days
Purchase of Railway Rolling Stock Committee No.56 12 Aug 1884 29 Oct 1884 2 months 18 days
Stirling’s Trusts Bill Committee No.51 05 Jun 1884 25 Jun 1884 21 days Chairman
City Bank Bill Committee No.50 23 May 1884 04 Jun 1884 13 days
Member for Bathurst 08 Feb 1884 07 Oct 1885 1 year 8 months
Boroughs of Randwick and Paddington Bill Committee No.23 07 Dec 1883 05 Mar 1884 2 months 28 days
Member for Bathurst 02 Dec 1882 31 Jan 1884 1 year 1 month 30 days
Minister of Public Instruction 14 Nov 1881 04 Jan 1883 1 year 1 month 22 days
Acting Secretary for Mines 30 Aug 1881 11 Oct 1881 1 month 12 days
Postmaster General 11 Aug 1881 13 Nov 1881 3 months 3 days
Member for Bathurst 19 Nov 1880 23 Nov 1882 2 years 5 days
Minister of Justice 01 May 1880 10 Aug 1880 3 months 11 days
Equity Branch of the Supreme Court Committee No.12 02 Dec 1879 22 Jun 1880 6 months 21 days
Payments to Discharged Prisoners Committee No.10 25 Nov 1879 13 Jul 1880 7 months 19 days
Library Committee No.2 29 Oct 1879 13 Jul 1880 8 months 15 days
Member for Bathurst 31 Dec 1878 31 Dec 1878 1 day
Minister for Justice and Public Instruction 21 Dec 1878 30 Apr 1880 1 year 4 months 10 days
Jury List – Deniliquin Committee No.13 22 Oct 1878 20 May 1879 6 months 29 days
Patrick Nugent’s Conditional Purchase Committee No.18 19 Mar 1878 03 Apr 1878 16 days
Member for Bathurst 29 Oct 1877 20 Dec 1878 1 year 1 month 22 days
Mr John Garsed Committee No.17 04 May 1877 11 Oct 1877 5 months 8 days
Member for Bathurst 03 Apr 1877 12 Oct 1877 6 months 10 days
Minister for Justice and Public Instruction 22 Mar 1877 16 Aug 1877 4 months 26 days
Throsby’s Leasing Act Amendment Bill Committee No.16 09 Feb 1877 16 Feb 1877 8 days
Bathurst and Grafton and Armidale Lands Transfer Bill Committee No.13 30 Jan 1877 22 Feb 1877 24 days
Employment of Children Committee No.6 19 Dec 1876 30 Jan 1877 1 month 12 days
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 12 Dec 1876 12 Dec 1876 1 day
Report of Examiner of Coal Fields on Land held by Messrs Garrett and Greville Committee No.26 04 Aug 1876 17 Aug 1876 14 days
Murrumbidgee Turf Club Bill Committee No.20 22 Mar 1876 19 Apr 1876 29 days
Bathurst Hospital Bill Committee No.19 15 Mar 1876 18 Mar 1876 4 days
Bathurst Markets Amendment Bill Committee No.17 07 Mar 1876 17 Mar 1876 11 days
Employment of Children Committee No.9 14 Dec 1875 03 Aug 1876 7 months 21 days
Fitzgerald’s Enabling Bill Committee No.8 01 Dec 1875 14 Dec 1875 14 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
Dubbo Presbyterian Manse Trustee Bill Committee No.10 27 Apr 1875 29 Apr 1875 3 days
Member for Bathurst 02 Jan 1875 22 Mar 1877 2 years 2 months 21 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 02 Jan 1875 12 Jun 1900 25 years 5 months 11 days
Political Party Activity
Community Activity
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Pastoralist. Educated at Bathurst and The King's School, Parramatta. At age 19 became manager of father's properties at Bathurst; took up Redbank and Katella near Wellington in 1863, then Bradwardine near Bathurst in 1873; noted breeder of sheep and coaching horses. Director several companies including Australia. Joint Stock Bank, Equitable Life Assurance Society, and Mutual Assurance Society of Victoria. Vice-president of the Sheepbreeders Association, president from 1903 until 1915; president of the Stockowners' Association of New South Wales. Trustee National Art Gallery of New South Wales from 1899 until 1915, vice president in 1915; trustee of the Australia Museum. Art Gallery of New South Wales from 1899 until 1915. Director of Sydney Hospital from 1904 until 1914. President of Council Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children. Delegate to Colonial Conference, Ottawa, 1894. Member of Bathurst Church of England Synod, Chairman of Committees 1903, episcopal elector 1911. President of Royal Life Saving Society, Sydney Patron of Australia literature. Nephew of J.B. Suttor and brother of W.H. Suttor (jr) (qq.v.).
Military Service
Honours Received
Knighted in 1903
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of William Henry (q.v.) and Charlotte Augusta Anne Francis. Married Emily Hawkins on 29 July 1863 and had issue 4 sons and 5 daughters. Church of England.
Additional Information
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 6 Text from the book: 'The Presiding Officers of the Parliament of New South Wales', Sydney, 1995 Francis Suttor was born on 30 April 1839, near Bathurst. He belonged to a family with a rich tradition of political service. His father William Suttor, was a member of the Legislative Council and his brother William Suttor Junior, was a Member of both the Council and Assembly. Before embarking on his own political career, Suttor established several successful sheep properties in the Wellington and Bathurst districts. He married Emily Hawkins in July 1863 and they had four sons and five daughters. Francis Suttor was first elected to the Legislative Assembly as the Member for Bathurst in 1875. He was Minister for Justice and of Public Instruction in all of the Parker, administrations from 1877, Minister for Justice in 1880 and Postmaster-General from 1880 until 1881. He was Minister of Public Instruction in the Dibbs Administration of 1880; the acting Secretary for Mines in 1881; and from 1886 until 1887 again Postmaster-General under Jennings. In 1892 he was the acting Colonial Secretary. Although he was appointed to the Legislative Council in 1891 he successfully contested the lower house seat of Bathurst again. The decline of agricultural prices forced Suttor to reassess his position as a free trader. Although his defection to the protectionists camp cost him the both the support of Henry Parkes and the seat of Bathurst, his political career was far from over. When he entered the Legislative Council in 1900, he did so as the Vice-President of the Executive Council and the Government's Representative in the upper house. Suttor was appointed President of the Legislative Council in 1903, a position he held until his death in 1915. During his term as President, Suttor was faced with hostility from the Assembly's Speaker, Henry Willis (Speaker 1911-1913) who failed to consult with him over issues which had traditionally been joint responsibilities. However, the Parliamentary administration reverted to its former state after Mr Speaker Willis lost his office in 1913. Sir Francis Suttor died while still President at Darling Point on 4 April 1915.

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.