Journalist. Arrived in Victoria in 1857; journeyed to goldfields; at a later time became a temperance lecturer in Ballarat and Scarsdale; stood unsuccessfully for Victorian Legislative Assembly in 1871. Moved to Wallsend c.1873; mine forman and newspaper reporter. Elected to Parliament by New South Wales Political Reform League; defeated in October 1877; elected again in 1880 but resigned when financial support failed in 1881. Became a school attendance and payments officer from 1882 until 1887. At a later time took up land at Belmore where he was a horticulturalist and florist; retired in 1903. Founding member of New South Wales Political Reform League, secretary of Lambton branch. Prominent in Reverend James Greenwood's Public School League. His platform in 1877 opposed assisted immigration and supported land tax, payment of members, abolition of property qualification and plural voting, land law reform, and free and compulsory and secular education. Supported the local literary institute.