Frank Buckland (politician) facts for kids

W. F. Buckland

William Francis Buckland (born 8 August 1847 – died 29 December 1915) was an important New Zealand politician and a talented cricketer. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the late 1800s. He was known for being an independent politician, meaning he didn't always follow a specific party's rules.

Early Life and Career

William Francis Buckland was born in Auckland in 1847. His father was also named William Buckland, and his older brother was John Buckland.

Frank, as he was known, received private lessons and attended Parnell Grammar School and St John's College. He trained to be a civil engineer and worked for the government in Auckland. Later, he became a surveyor, mapping out land. He also managed a mine in Thames. In 1884, he became a lawyer.

A Career in Politics

Buckland was involved in local government in Remuera from 1873 to 1880. He then decided to enter national politics.

Representing Franklin North

In the 1881 election election, Buckland ran for the Franklin North area. He lost by only two votes to Captain Benjamin Harris. Buckland challenged the election results in court, and the judges agreed, saying the election was not fair.

This led to a special election, called a 1882 by-election, where Buckland ran against Harris again. Harris won this time. However, in the next election in 1884 election, Buckland finally defeated Harris and became the MP for Franklin North. He served until 1887 election, when he lost to Frank Lawry.

Representing Manukau

After losing in Franklin North, Buckland ran for the Manukau area in the 1890. He won against Maurice O'Rorke, who had been the MP for a long time. But in 1893, O'Rorke won the seat back from Buckland.

Buckland tried to win the Manukau seat again in 1896 election and 1899, but Maurice O'Rorke remained the winner each time.

Mayor of Cambridge

Besides being an MP, Buckland also served as the mayor of Cambridge. He was mayor from 1898 to 1903, and again from 1905 to 1910. He also practiced law in Cambridge.

Sporting Life: Cricket

William Francis Buckland was a keen cricketer. He played seven important cricket matches for the Auckland team between 1873 and 1883.

In 1873, he helped organize the first tour by a New Zealand provincial team. Over three weeks, the Auckland team played matches in Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, and Nelson. They won all four games! People at the time described him as a great batsman with "a true eye and capital nerve." He was also a powerful fast bowler who could keep going for a long time.

Later Life

William Francis Buckland passed away on 29 December 1915. He died at his son's home in Cambridge. His wife had passed away before him.

See also

• List of Auckland representative cricketers