Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council, 1861–1864

Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council who served from 1861 to 1864 were appointed for life by the Governor on the advice of the Premier. The 1855 Constitution of New South Wales provided that the first council was appointed for a period of 5 years, but that subsequent members would be appointed for life.^[1] The previous council had ended in controversy with an attempt was made to swamp the chamber by appointing 21 new members in May 1861, because the council had rejected the Robertson land bills.^[2] When the council met and the new members were waiting to be sworn in, the President Sir William Burton stated that he felt he had been treated with discourtesy in the matter, resigned his office of president and his membership, and left the chamber. 19 other members also resigned in protest. In the absence of the President and Chairman of Committees, under the standing orders the council was adjourned.^[3] There were no further sitting days before the terms of the members of council had expired.

Of the 38 members prior to the attempted swamping, 12 were re-appointed,^[4] including just 4 of the 20 who had resigned in protest.^[a] The Robertson Land Acts were passed by the Council on 17 October 1861.^[5]

This list includes members between the end of the initial terms on 13 May 1861 and the beginning of the 1864–65 colonial election on 22 November 1864. The President was William Wentworth until 10 October 1862 and then Terence Murray.^[11]

Name	Years in office	Office
George Allen [b]	1856–1861, 1861–1877	Chairman of Committees
John Blaxland [o]	1863–1884
Edward Butler [d][n]	1861–1863, 1877–1879
William Byrnes [b]	1858–1861, 1861–1891
Alexander Campbell [s]	1864–1890
John Campbell [c]	1856, 1861–1886
George Cox [l]	1863–1901
Joseph Docker [p]	1856–1861, 1863–1884
Robert Fitzgerald [b]	1856–1861, 1861–1865
Samuel Gordon [d]	1861–1882
John Hargrave [b]	1859–1861, 1861–1865	Representative of the Government (9 March 1860 – 15 October 1863)
George Holden [b][k]	1856–1861, 1861–1863
Thomas Icely [t]	1864–1874
Robert Johnson [o]	1856–1861, 1863–1866
Charles Kemp [c][r]	1861–1864
Edward Lloyd [m]	1863–1865
Francis Lord [s]	1856–1861, 1864–1893
Sir William Macarthur [t]	1864–1882
John MacFarlane [b]	1858–1861, 1861–1870
Sir William Manning [c]	1861–1876, 1888–1895
Alexander McArthur [c]	1861–1865
Francis Merewether [b]	1856–1861, 1861–1865
James Mitchell [b]	1856–1861, 1861–1869
Sir Terence Murray [j]	1862–1873	President (14 October 1862 – 22 June 1873)
Edward Ogilvie [o]	1863–1889
John Plunkett [f]	1857–1858, 1861–1869	Representative of the Government (16 October 1863 – 2 February 1865)
John Robertson  [b][g]	1861, 1861, 1878–1881	Secretary for Lands (9 March 1860 – 15 October 1863)
Ralph Robey [b][e][q]	1858–1861, 1861–1864
Bourn Russell [b]	1858–1861, 1861–1880
William Russell [c]	1861–1865
Alexander Scott [h]	1862–1866
Edward Deas Thomson [b]	1856–1861, 1861–1879
Robert Towns [l]	1856–1861, 1863–1873
William Walker [l]	1863–1867
Edward Ward [c]	1861–1865
John Watt [e]	1861–1866, 1874–1890
William Wentworth [c][i]	1861–1862	President (24 June 1861 – 10 October 1862)

See also

• Third Cowper ministry (1861–1863)
• First Martin ministry (1863–1865)

Notes

1. The 4 members re-appointed were George Holden, Francis Merewether, James Mitchell and Edward Deas Thomson.^[4]
2. 12 members who served in the first council were re-appointed on 24 June 1861.^[4]
3. 6 members were appointed on 24 June 1861,^[4] and took their seats on 3 September 1861.
4. Edward Butler and Samuel Gordon were appointed on 2 September 1861,^[6] and took their seats on 3 September 1861.
5. Ralph Robey and John Watt were appointed on 24 June 1861,^[4] and took their seats on 13 September 1861.
6. John Plunkett was appointed on 24 June 1861,^[4] and took his seat on 1 October 1861.
7. John Robertson resigned on 30 December 1861 after the Robertson Land Acts were passed by the Council and was re-elected to the Legislative Assembly.
8. Alexander Scott was appointed on,^[4] and took his seat on 27 May 1862.
9. William Wentworth resigned on 10 October 1862 to return to England.
10. Sir Terence Murray was appointed to the Council as President on 13 October 1862,^[7] and took his seat on 14 October 1862.
11. George Holden resigned on 14 October 1862.
12. 3 members were appointed on 17 June 1863,^[8] and took their seats on 23 June 1863.
13. Edward Lloyd was appointed on 17 June 1863,^[8] and took his seat on 1 July 1863.
14. Edward Butler resigned on 1 July 1863.
15. 3 members were appointed on 24 November 1863,^[9] and took their seats on 25 November 1863.
16. Joseph Docker was appointed on 1 December 1863,^[10] and took his seat on 26 December 1863.
17. Ralph Robey died on 26 December 1863.
18. Charles Kemp died on 1 April 1864.
19. Francis Lord was appointed on 17 October 1864, and took his seat on 18 October 1864.
20. Thomas Icely was appointed on 3 June 1864, and took his seat on 26 October 1864.