Joshua Peter Bell

For other people named Joshua Bell, see Joshua Bell (disambiguation).

Sir Joshua Peter Bell K.C.M.G. (19 January 1827 – 20 December 1881) was an Australian politician and pastoralist. He was Treasurer of Queensland from 1864 to 1866 and from 1871 to 1874, and President of the Queensland Legislative Council from 1879 to 1881. His eldest son was barrister and parliamentarian Joshua Thomas Bell.^[1]

The Hon Sir Joshua Peter Bell KCMG
3rd Treasurer of Queensland
In office 22 December 1864 – 20 July 1866
Preceded by	Thomas Moffatt
Succeeded by	John Donald McLean
Constituency	West Moreton
In office 28 March 1871 – 8 January 1874
Preceded by	Robert Ramsay
Succeeded by	William Hemmant
Constituency	Northern Downs (1871-1873)
Constituency	Dalby (1873-1874)
President of the Queensland Legislative Council
In office 3 April 1879 – 20 December 1881
Preceded by	Sir Maurice O'Connell
Succeeded by	Sir Arthur Palmer
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for West Moreton
In office 15 December 1862 – 28 September 1868 Serving with Henry Challinor, Robert Herbert, Joseph Fleming, George Thorn, Jr., Benjamin Cribb, Patrick O'Sullivan
Preceded by	Joseph Fleming
Succeeded by	Frederick Forbes
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Northern Downs
In office 28 September 1868 – 11 November 1873
Preceded by	Henry Thorn
Succeeded by	Henry Thorn
In office 21 November 1878 – 2 April 1879
Preceded by	William Miles
Succeeded by	George Thorn Jr.
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Dalby
In office 10 November 1873 – 15 November 1878
Succeeded by	George Simpson
Queensland Legislative Council
In office 3 April 1879 – 20 December 1881
Personal details
Born	(1827-01-19)19 January 1827 County Kildare, Ireland
Died	20 December 1881(1881-12-20) (aged 54) Brisbane, Queensland
Resting place	Toowong Cemetery
Spouse	Margaret Miller Dorsey
Relations	Joshua Thomas Bell (son), John Alexander Bell (brother)
Occupation	pastoralist

Early life

Bell was born in Kildare, Ireland, eldest son of Thomas Bell and his wife Sarah, née Alexander. The family emigrated to Australia around 1830. He attended the Sydney College and King's School, Parramatta. In 1848, Bell became joint manager of Jimbour Station in Darling Downs, then part of the Colony of New South Wales with his brother Alexander after his father had taken over the lease of the property. Bell soon assumed sole control of the station due to his astute management that saw the station becoming one of the most respected in the area.^[1]

Parliamentary career

Early parliamentary career

Due to his status as a prominent landholder, Bell was invited to stand in the elections in 1862 for the seat of West Moreton. He won this seat with a considerable majority and remained in office for six years. In 1868 he stood for the seat of Northern Downs (Dalby), the local constituency of Jimbour Station, in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland.^[2] He was successful in this election and continued to hold the seat for eleven years.

Ministerial career

Monument at the grave of Joshua Peter Bell.

In his eleven years in parliament in the seat of Northern Downs, Bell gained a number of ministerial roles. In 1864 he was appointed treasurer (in the first Queensland ministry under Robert Herbert)^[3] a position he held until 1866. In 1866 there was a financial crisis owing to the failure of two banks, Bell as treasurer stated that he intended to issue "inconvertible government notes". The governor, Sir George Bowen, considered that would be an infringement of the prerogatives of the crown and then premier Arthur Macalister resigned on 20 July 1866.^[2] Bell later assumed the role of treasurer in a subsequent government in 1871 and remained in office for further three years. Bell also held a number of other ministerial positions, notably Minister for Lands in 1866 and acting Minister for Works in 1867.^[1]

Further career

In 1879 Bell transferred to the Queensland Legislative Council and was elected president.^[2] For a short period of time from March to November 1880, Bell was appointed as Administrator in the absence of the then Governor Sir Arthur Kennedy. He was appointed K.C.M.G. in 1881.

Later life

Joshua Peter Bell monument, 2007

Plaque on memorial, Jimbour, 2007

Joshua Peter Bell died suddenly on 20 December 1881 and was buried at Toowong Cemetery.^[1][4] A memorial to him was also erected at Jimbour Homestead.

Legacy

The town of Bell was named after him.^[5]