Postmaster-General of New South Wales

The Postmaster-General of New South Wales was a position in the government of the colony of New South Wales. This portfolio managed the postal department of the New South Wales Government and was in charge of all postal and communications services in the colony prior to the Federation of Australia, from 1835 to 1901.^[1][2] Upon Federation, Section 51(v) of the Constitution of Australia gave the Commonwealth exclusive power for "postal, telegraphic, telephonic, and other like services".^[3]

Postmaster-General of New South Wales
Style	The Honourable
Appointer	Governor of New South Wales
Precursor	Postmaster of New South Wales
Formation	21 October 1835
First holder	James Raymond
Final holder	Paddy Crick
Abolished	28 January 1901
Succession	Postmaster General of Australia Postmaster-General's Department

History

The first Postmaster of New South Wales, Isaac Nichols, was appointed by the military junta following the overthrow of Governor Bligh in the Rum Rebellion. Nichols retained the position when Governor Macquarie arrived in 1810, holding it until his death in 1819.^[4] The post office was re-organised in 1835, with postmaster James Raymond being appointed as Postmaster-General, responsible for the various post offices throughout the colony. Raymond's replacement, Francis Merewether was appointed to the Legislative Council. With the establishment of responsible government in 1856, the position reverted to a civil service office. At first the postmaster-general reported to the Colonial Secretary, then the Colonial Treasurer.^[5] In September 1865 the Governor declared that a member of the Legislative Assembly was capable of holding the office of Postmaster-General,^[6] and James Cunneen was appointed, however his appointment as a minister did not give him a seat in cabinet.^[7]

List of Postmasters-General

Title	Name	Party affiliation		Term start	Term end	Time in office	Notes
Postmaster	Isaac Nichols		Not a member of Legislative Council	March 1809	18 November 1819	9–10 years	[4]
	George Panton			16 November 1819	24 April 1829	9 years, 159 days	[8][9]
	James Raymond			27 April 1829	20 October 1835	6 years, 176 days	[10][11][12]
Postmaster-General				21 October 1835	29 May 1851	15 years, 220 days
	Francis Merewether		Appointed position in Legislative Council	9 June 1851	30 April 1852	326 days	[13]
	William Christie		Appointed position in Legislative Council, until 1856	1 May 1852	1 October 1865	13 years, 153 days	[14]
	James Cunneen		No party	1 October 1865	21 October 1866	1 year, 20 days	[7]
	Joseph Docker			22 January 1866	27 September 1868	2 years, 249 days	[15]
	Atkinson Tighe			29 September 1868	26 October 1868	27 days	[16]
	Daniel Egan			27 October 1868	16 October 1870	1 year, 354 days	[17]
	Joseph Docker			16 December 1870	13 May 1872	1 year, 149 days	[15]
	George Lloyd			14 May 1872	4 December 1872	204 days
	Saul Samuel			5 December 1872	8 February 1875	2 years, 65 days	[18]
	John Burns			9 February 1875	21 March 1877	2 years, 40 days	[19]
	Saul Samuel			22 March 1877	16 August 1877	147 days	[18]
	John Davies			17 August 1877	17 December 1877	122 days	[20]
	John Burns			18 December 1877	20 December 1878	1 year, 2 days	[19]
	Saul Samuel			21 December 1878	10 August 1880	1 year, 233 days	[18]
	Francis Suttor			11 August 1881	13 November 1881	94 days	[21]
	Stephen Brown			14 November 1881	22 August 1882	281 days	[22]
	Alexander Campbell			30 August 1882	4 January 1883	127 days	[23]
	Francis Wright			5 January 1883	27 May 1883	142 days	[24]
	William Trickett			28 May 1883	1 May 1884	339 days	[25]
	James Norton			2 May 1884	6 October 1885	1 year, 157 days	[26]
	John See			7 October 1885	21 December 1885	75 days	[27]
	Daniel O'Connor			22 December 1885	25 February 1886	65 days	[28]
	Francis Wright			26 February 1886	19 January 1887	327 days	[24]
	Charles Roberts		Free Trade	20 January 1887	16 January 1889	1 year, 362 days	[29]
	Henry Clarke		Protectionist	17 January 1889	7 March 1889	49 days	[30]
	Daniel O'Connor		Free Trade	8 March 1889	22 October 1891	2 years, 228 days	[28]
	John Kidd		Protectionist	27 October 1891	2 August 1894	2 years, 279 days	[31]
	Joseph Cook		Free Trade	3 August 1894	27 August 1898	4 years, 24 days	[32]
	Varney Parkes			27 August 1898	13 September 1899	1 year, 17 days	[33]
	Paddy Crick		Protectionist	14 September 1899	28 February 1901	1 year, 167 days	[34]