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Former Member Details

Mr John Bowie WILSON (1820 - 1883)

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Date of Birth: 17/06/1820
Place of Birth: Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland
Date of Death: 30/04/1883
Place of Death: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Coal Staithes at Newcastle Committee No.14 25 Jan 1871 13 Jun 1871 4 months 20 days
Petition of James Twaddell Committee No.15 25 Jan 1871 04 May 1871 3 months 10 days
Member for East Sydney 27 Dec 1870 03 Feb 1872 1 year 1 month 8 days
Secretary for Lands 16 Dec 1870 13 May 1872 1 year 4 months 28 days
Ham Common Resumption Bill Committee No.11 14 Oct 1870 02 Nov 1870 20 days
Government Printing Office Committee No.9 13 Sep 1870 04 May 1871 7 months 22 days
Marine Board Bill Committee No.8 08 Sep 1870 17 Mar 1871 6 months 10 days
Claims of Bartholomew Rush Committee No.24 12 Apr 1870 07 May 1870 26 days
Water Supply – Sydney and Suburbs Committee No.23 08 Apr 1870 03 May 1870 26 days Chairman
Sale of Liquors Licensing Act Amendment Bill Committee No.21 01 Apr 1870 03 May 1870 1 month 3 days Chairman
Goulburn School Trust Bill Committee No.16 03 Mar 1870 09 Mar 1870 7 days
Sydney Infirmary Committee No.14 01 Mar 1870 22 Apr 1870 1 month 25 days
Member for East Sydney 23 Feb 1870 20 Dec 1870 9 months 28 days
Town Hall Committee No.16 10 Nov 1869 13 Nov 1869 4 days
Mr Thomas Scott – Sugar Cultivation Committee No.12 26 Oct 1869 13 Nov 1869 19 days
Prince Alfred Park Enclosure Bill Committee No.10 21 Oct 1869 22 Oct 1869 2 days
Grant for Road from West Maitland to Cessnock Committee No.9 08 Oct 1869 13 Nov 1869 1 month 6 days
Mr Alexander Walker Scott – Land taken by Hunter River Railway Committee No.5 01 Oct 1869 11 Nov 1869 1 month 12 days
Law relating to Lunacy Committee No.20 04 Mar 1869 24 Mar 1869 21 days
Mr William Emery Committee No.19 02 Mar 1869 01 Apr 1869 1 month
Mr Thomas Scott – Sugar Cultivation Committee No.14 10 Feb 1869 24 Mar 1869 1 month 15 days
Mrs Mary Singleton Committee No.11 19 Jan 1869 23 Feb 1869 1 month 5 days Chairman
Sydney Common Improvement Act Amendment Bill Committee No.23 16 Mar 1868 18 Mar 1868 3 days
Petititon of Mr Thomas Smith Committee No.15 08 Nov 1867 03 Apr 1868 4 months 27 days
Waterview Patent Slip Bill Committee No.11 10 Sep 1867 09 Oct 1867 1 month
Claim of Mr Benjamin Richards to lease of “Yaraldool” Run Committee No.9 27 Aug 1867 28 Nov 1867 3 months 2 days
Library Committee No.2 03 Jul 1867 27 Apr 1868 9 months 25 days
Oyster Fisheries Protection Bill Committee No.7 02 Jul 1867 27 Apr 1868 9 months 26 days
Railway from Echuca to Deniliquin Committee No.6 02 Jul 1867 27 Apr 1868 9 months 26 days
St Andrew’s Cathedral Close Bill Committee No.8 02 Jul 1867 27 Apr 1868 9 months 26 days
Sydney Common Improvement Bill Committee No.23 06 Dec 1866 13 Dec 1866 8 days
Fisheries Act Amendment Bill Committee No.20 02 Nov 1866 02 Dec 1866 1 month 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
Exchange of Land Scots Church Sydney Legalizing Bill Committee No.15 10 Oct 1866 31 Oct 1866 22 days
Campbell’s Exchange of Ways Bill Committee No.11 25 Sep 1866 05 Oct 1866 11 days
Proposed Electoral Alterations Committee No.12 25 Sep 1866 13 Dec 1866 2 months 19 days
Railway from Echuca to Deniliquin Committee No.10 21 Sep 1866 20 Dec 1866 3 months
Hartley Kerosene Oil and Paraffine Company’s Incorporation Bill Committee No.9 04 Sep 1866 25 Sep 1866 22 days
Reserve, Lavender Bay Committee No.6 31 Jul 1866 23 Oct 1866 2 months 23 days
Library Committee No.2 25 Jul 1866 18 Mar 1867 7 months 22 days
Reserve, Lavender Bay Committee No.16 06 Mar 1866 29 Mar 1866 24 days
Reserves under Crown Lands Alienation Act Committee No.15 23 Feb 1866 04 Apr 1866 1 month 13 days
Member for Patrick's Plains 08 Feb 1866 15 Nov 1869 3 years 9 months 8 days
Secretary for Lands 22 Jan 1866 26 Oct 1868 2 years 9 months 5 days
Conduct of City Coroner Committee No.14 19 Dec 1865 07 Apr 1866 3 months 20 days
Exchange of Land Scots Church, Sydney, Legalizing Bill Committee No.13 15 Dec 1865 23 Feb 1866 2 months 9 days
Library Committee No.2 25 Oct 1865 07 Apr 1866 5 months 14 days
Mr E.J.H Knapp Committee No.20 06 Jun 1865 13 Jun 1865 8 days
Claims of Tenants of the Crown Committee No.8 14 Mar 1865 28 Apr 1865 1 month 15 days
Library Committee No.5 08 Mar 1865 21 Jun 1865 3 months 14 days
Member for Patrick's Plains 09 Dec 1864 22 Jan 1866 1 year 1 month 14 days
Library Committee No.3 19 Oct 1864 09 Nov 1864 22 days
Mineral Land selected by the Honourable Arthur Todd Holroyd Committee No.39 01 Apr 1864 21 Apr 1864 21 days
Bathurst Market Bill Committee No.36 30 Mar 1864 31 Mar 1864 2 days
Claims of Tenants of the Crown Committee No.35 15 Mar 1864 20 Apr 1864 1 month 6 days
Bank of New South Wales Incorporation Act Amendment Bill Committee No.32 16 Feb 1864 22 Apr 1864 2 months 7 days
Claim of Robert to Land in Illawarra Committee No.34 16 Feb 1864 11 Mar 1864 25 days
Sydney Water Reserves Committee No.31 01 Dec 1863 11 Dec 1863 11 days
Member for Goldfields South 16 Nov 1863 10 Nov 1864 11 months 26 days
Secretary for Lands 16 Oct 1863 02 Feb 1865 1 year 3 months 18 days
Disorganized State of the Public Works Department Committee No.28 06 Oct 1863 07 Apr 1864 6 months 2 days
Reservations upon Runs in Tumut District Committee No.25 29 Sep 1863 11 Mar 1864 5 months 12 days
Working of the Gold Fields Act Committee No.26 29 Sep 1863 09 Mar 1864 5 months 10 days
Mr James K.Montgomery – Claim for Compensation Committee No.24 15 Sep 1863 22 Apr 1864 7 months 8 days
Newcastle Wallsend Coal Company Committee No.21 15 Sep 1863 22 Apr 1864 7 months 8 days Chairman
Presbyterian College Bill Committee No.15 04 Sep 1863 06 Oct 1863 1 month 3 days
Present State and Management of Lunatic Asylums No.9 14 Jul 1863 20 Apr 1864 9 months 7 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.7 25 Jun 1863 10 Sep 1863 2 months 17 days
Library Committee No.3 24 Jun 1863 31 Mar 1864 9 months 8 days
Petition of Thomas Charles Bentley Committee No.42 11 Nov 1862 20 Dec 1862 1 month 10 days
Alfred Witts Committee No.30 16 Sep 1862 21 Nov 1862 2 months 6 days
Co-operative Coal Mining Company’s Bill Committee No.31 16 Sep 1862 24 Sep 1862 9 days Chairman
Gibson’s Estate Bill Committee No.27 02 Sep 1862 04 Sep 1862 3 days Chairman
Presbyterian College Bill Committee No.25 12 Aug 1862 18 Nov 1862 3 months 7 days
James Ralfe Committee No.22 05 Aug 1862 29 Aug 1862 25 days
Mr Francis Flanagan Committee No.20 05 Aug 1862 04 Nov 1862 3 months
Mr J.E Liardet Committee No.14 22 Jul 1862 20 Dec 1862 4 months 29 days Chairman, appointed 17 December 1862
Management of the Central Police Office Committee No.13 08 Jul 1862 12 Dec 1862 5 months 5 days
Pilot Board Committee No.9 17 Jun 1862 07 Oct 1862 3 months 21 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 10 Jun 1862 02 Sep 1862 2 months 24 days Chairman
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 29 May 1862 17 Jun 1862 20 days
Address of Condolence to Her Majesty Committee No.4 28 May 1862 03 Jun 1862 7 days
Library Committee No.3 28 May 1862 01 Aug 1862 2 months 5 days
Mr Francis Flanagan Committee No.21 10 Dec 1861 20 Jan 1862 1 month 11 days
System of Railway Locomotion proposed by Mr E.Bell Committee No.18 12 Nov 1861 20 Jan 1862 2 months 9 days Chairman
Presbyterian Church Temporalities Act of 1837 Committee No.17 01 Nov 1861 20 Jan 1862 2 months 20 days Chairman
Maitland and Morpeth Railway Company’s Bill Committee No.12 09 Oct 1861 20 Jan 1862 3 months 12 days
Mr A.E Bush Committee No.13 08 Oct 1861 20 Jan 1862 3 months 13 days Chairman
Richmond Bridge Company’s Act Amendment Bill Committee No.11 01 Oct 1861 20 Jan 1862 3 months 21 days
Wagga Wagga Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.7 27 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 3 months 25 days
Reverend W.B Clarke Committee No.6 20 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 4 months 1 day
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.4 06 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 4 months 15 days
Library Committee No.3 04 Sep 1861 20 Jan 1862 4 months 17 days
Privilege Committee No.29 04 Apr 1861 11 May 1861 1 month 8 days
Claims of the Reverend W.B Clarke Committee No.26 12 Mar 1861 11 May 1861 2 months
Hosking’s Trust Bill Committee No.22 19 Feb 1861 11 May 1861 2 months 23 days
Mackenzie’s Marriage Settlement Trustees Bill Committee No.23 19 Feb 1861 11 May 1861 2 months 23 days
State and Management of the Sydney Domain Committee No.20 19 Feb 1861 11 May 1861 2 months 23 days
Wahgunyah Murray Bridge Company’s Bill Committee No.21 19 Feb 1861 11 May 1861 2 months 23 days
Light-house, near Jervis Bay Committee No.19 12 Feb 1861 11 May 1861 3 months
Unpaid Magistracy Committee No.17 12 Feb 1861 11 May 1861 3 months
System of Tendering for Runs Committee No.15 05 Feb 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 7 days
Grievances Committee No.13 29 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 13 days
Present System of Tendering for the Public Service Committee No.10 29 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 13 days
Public Prisons in Sydney and Cumberland Committee No.8 23 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 19 days
Shoalhaven Municipality – (Petition of Alex Berry, Esquire) Committee No.5 17 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 25 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.9 16 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 26 days
Departure of the Governor General Committee No.4 15 Jan 1861 11 May 1861 3 months 27 days
Member for Goldfields South 05 Dec 1860 20 Oct 1863 2 years 10 months 16 days
Public Prisons in Sydney and Cumberland Committee No.14 23 Oct 1860 09 Nov 1860 18 days
Present System of Tendering for the Public Service Committee No.11 16 Oct 1860 09 Nov 1860 25 days
Alleged Embezzlement of Public Moneys by Corporal Francis Committee No.8 12 Oct 1860 09 Nov 1860 29 days
Petition of Mr Alexander Berry Committee No.9 12 Oct 1860 09 Nov 1860 29 days
Seizure of Opium per “Kate Hooper” Committee No.41 13 Apr 1860 04 Jul 1860 2 months 22 days
Petition of Alexander Berry, Esquire, Committee No.30 03 Feb 1860 04 Jul 1860 5 months 2 days
St Andrew’s College Bill Committee No.24 14 Oct 1859 04 Jul 1860 8 months 21 days
Seat claimed by James Hoskins, Esquire, Committee No.23 13 Oct 1859 04 Jul 1860 8 months 22 days
Petition of Mr William Sutherland Committee No.20 07 Oct 1859 04 Jul 1860 8 months 28 days Chairman
Church and School Lands Committee No.15 23 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 9 months 12 days
Secondary Punishment Committee No.8 14 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 9 months 21 days
University of Sydney Committee No.5 13 Sep 1859 04 Jul 1860 9 months 22 days
Governor General’s Opening Speech Committee No.1 31 Aug 1859 31 Aug 1859 1 day
Member for Goldfields South 06 Jul 1859 10 Nov 1860 1 year 4 months 5 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 06 Jul 1859 03 Feb 1872 12 years 6 months 29 days
Political Party Activity
Community Activity
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Hydropath and gold miner. Educated at Irvine. Arrived in Sydney on 18 July 1840; squatter mostly in the Monaro district; returned to Scotland. Journeyed to the United States of America and assisted medical practitioner brother for 3 years. Returned to Australia in 1854. Unsuccessful as a gold digger at Araluen. Practiced hydropathy and called himself 'doctor'. Acquired mining interests and after political defeat in 1872 was a stock, station and land agent with George Ranken. Elected as a radical in 1859. Condemned Bill abolishing state aid to religion as too moderate. Moved in squatter circles. Supported by Protestant Political Association in election of 1870. President of Excelsior division of Order of the Sons of Temperance in 1868; executive member of New South Wales Alliance for Suppression of Intemperance in 1869. Estranged fron Christianity in youth. developed a lifelong interest in spiritualism and dabbled in phrenology; active free thinker in later years. First president of Liberal Association of New South Wales.
Military Service
Honours Received
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of Reverend John Wilson. Married (1) Julia Bell on 9 July 1859 at Braidwood and had issue, 4 daughters. Married (2) Elizabeth Gowing on 5 July 1873 at Strathbogie, New England and had issue, 1 daughter and 1 son. Buried without religious rites.
Additional Information

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.