Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content

Former Member Details

Mr Robert (2) CAMPBELL (1804 - 1859)

Member Photo
Date of Birth: 05/10/1804
Place of Birth: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death: 30/03/1859
Place of Death: 'Duntroon' near Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Customs Department Committee No.12 20 Apr 1858 26 Nov 1858 7 months 7 days
Treasury Iron Chest and Accounts Committee No.4 30 Mar 1858 26 Nov 1858 7 months 28 days
Member for Sydney 15 Jan 1858 30 Mar 1859 1 year 2 months 16 days
Colonial Treasurer 04 Jan 1858 30 Mar 1859 1 year 2 months 27 days
Treasury Iron Chest and Accounts Committee No.17 17 Nov 1857 18 Dec 1857 1 month 2 days
Pyrmont Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.15 13 Nov 1857 18 Dec 1857 1 month 6 days
Reclaiming Land, Woolloomooloo Bay Committee 25 Aug 1857 18 Dec 1857 3 months 24 days
Customs Department Committee No.15 31 Oct 1856 18 Mar 1857 4 months 18 days
Member for Sydney (City) 03 Sep 1856 19 Dec 1857 1 year 3 months 17 days
Colonial Treasurer 26 Aug 1856 02 Oct 1856 1 month 7 days
Member for Sydney (City) 13 Mar 1856 26 Aug 1856 5 months 14 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 13 Mar 1856 30 Mar 1859 3 years 18 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 01 Nov 1851 29 Feb 1856 4 years 4 months An Elective Member of the first Legislative Council 1843 - 1856 for the City of Sydney
Political Party Activity
He was a leader of the anti-transportation campaign from the early 1830's.
Community Activity
Member of the Sydney Council of Australasian League. Supervised the building of St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney in 1837. Formed a committee which built the Garrison Church and was also a donor to the King's School at Parramatta.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Merchant. Parents sent him to England in 1810. Educated at Pimlico, London. Returned to New South Wales in 1819. He was a merchant when he was elected to the old Legislative Council. In 1822, he and his brother John worked for their father in his mercantile, wharf, storage and shipping business, Campbell and Company. He was made a partner in 1827 and retained that position until his death. Was a freemason from the age of 18; senior warden of his lodge at 19, worshipful master at 20 and first provinicial Scottish grandmaster of the province of Australia in 1856.
Military Service
Honours Received
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Second son of Robert Campbell (senior), a merchant, and his wife Sophia Palmer. Married Annie Sophia Riley in 1835 and had no issue. Brothers John and Charles and his son William Robert were all Parliamentarians. Brother John was a Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Sydney Hamlets in the first Parliament and for the Glebe in the second and third Parliaments. Appointed to the Legislative Council in 1856 and again from 1861 until his death in 1886. Brother Charles was a member of the Legislative Council from 1870 to 1888. His son, 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. Church of England.
Additional Information
References: Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 1