Date of Birth: 01/01/1838
Place of Birth: Dublin, Ireland
Date of Death: 09/10/1899
Place of Death: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
| Broken Hill and Suburban Gas Company’s Bill Committee No.52 |
10 Apr 1888 |
03 May 1888 |
24 days |
|
| Broken Hill Water Supply Bill Committee No.51 |
04 Apr 1888 |
21 Jun 1888 |
2 months 18 days |
|
| Silverton Tramway Act Amending Bill Committee No.45 |
29 Feb 1888 |
22 Mar 1888 |
23 days |
|
| Member for Wentworth |
28 Sep 1887 |
19 Jan 1889 |
1 year 3 months 23 days |
|
| Silverton Tramway Bill Committee No.60 |
10 Aug 1886 |
26 Aug 1886 |
17 days |
|
| Mudgee Gaslight and Coke Company’s Bill Committee No.57 |
23 Jul 1886 |
05 Aug 1886 |
14 days |
Chairman |
| Cooma Church of England Parsonage Bill Committee No.45 |
11 Jun 1886 |
18 Jun 1886 |
8 days |
|
| Member for Mudgee |
23 Oct 1885 |
26 Jan 1887 |
1 year 3 months 4 days |
|
| Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly |
23 Oct 1885 |
19 Jan 1889 |
3 years 2 months 28 days |
|
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Miner. There is disagreement in the documentary evidence about his early life. One account states that he was educated at the University of Dublin and another states that he arrived in Victoria in 1853 aged about 15 and went to the goldfields. Moved to New South Wales in 1862 and went to the Burrangong goldfield (Lambing Flat) where he was the Chairman of the Burrangong mining court and editor of the Burrangong Tribune. Also editor of the Murrumbidgee Herald, Gundagai Herald and Emu Creek Miner.
In 1868, joined the goldrush to Gympie Queensland, and was elected to the local mining court and became editor of the Gympie Times. Later became the Clerk of Petty Sessions and Mining Registrar on the Gilbert River goldfield in North Queensland. Returned to New South Wales in 1870, settling in Gulgong, briefly mining, and then establishing the Gulgong Guardian. By 1874, was the editor of the Home Rule Pilot. Was appointed gold commissioner at Gulgong in 1881.
Moved to Broken Hill becoming the deputy-chairman of the Mining Board. Went to Western Australia and assisted in codifying mining laws. Became a land and mining agent.
Became Senior Grand Warden in the United Grand Lodge of Freemasons and Deputy Grandmaster of the Lodge Tarbolton, no 12, Sydney. Was associated with the publication of Freemason in Sydney.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of John Browne and his wife Mary O'Neill. Married Jessie Louisa Alderson on 15 August 1870 in Sydney and had issue, 1 daughter and 3 sons.
Additional Information
Illustrated Sydney News and NSW Agriculturalist and Grazier, 25 July 1874, p6;
Western Argus, 26 October 1899, p 21;
Australian Dictionary of Biography, volume seven, under Browne, Thomas
Alexander;
Members of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales 1856 - 1901;
The Biographical Register and other material in the offices of the Australian
Dictionary of Biography.
