James Farnell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Farnell
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| 8th Premier of New South Wales | |
| In office 18 December 1877 – 20 December 1878 |
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| Governor | Sir Hercules Robinson |
| Preceded by | John Robertson |
| Succeeded by | Henry Parkes |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Squire Farnell
25 June 1825 St Leonards, New South Wales |
| Died | 21 August 1888 (aged 63) Petersham, New South Wales |
| Spouse |
Margaret O'Donnell
(m. 1853) |
| Children | Frank Farnell |
James Squire Farnell (born June 25, 1825 – died August 21, 1888) was an important Australian politician. He became the Premier of New South Wales, which is like being the leader of the state government. He worked very hard on laws about land and public health.
Contents
Early Life and Travels
James Farnell was born in St Leonards, New South Wales. His father, Thomas Charles Farnell, was a brewer. His mother, Mary Ann Farnell, was the daughter of James Squire. James Squire was an interesting person who came to Australia on the First Fleet. He might have been Australia's very first brewer!
James Farnell went to school in Parramatta. When he was younger, he traveled a lot with farm animals. This helped him learn much about New South Wales. He even visited America during the California Gold Rush in 1849. He also traveled to New Zealand before coming back home.
Starting a Political Career
In 1860, Farnell began his political journey. He won a special election for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. This is like the state parliament where laws are made. He represented the area of St Leonards.
Later, he was elected to represent Parramatta in 1864. He held this position for ten years. During this time, he became the Secretary for Lands. This job meant he was in charge of laws and rules about land. He also briefly served as the Secretary for Mines.
Becoming Premier
From 1876 to 1877, Farnell was the chairman of committees. He then helped form a new political group. This group caused the government at the time to resign.
On December 18, 1877, James Farnell made history. He became the first Premier of New South Wales who was born in Australia. He also chose to keep his role as Secretary for Lands. In October 1878, he tried to pass a new land law. However, his bill was not approved. Because of this, Farnell resigned as Premier. He was replaced by Henry Parkes.
Later Political Work
After being Premier, Farnell continued his work in politics. He represented different areas in the Legislative Assembly. From 1882 to 1885, he represented New England.
He again became the Secretary for Lands in 1883. He worked patiently to pass an important land law, which became official in 1884. Later, he was the Minister of Justice for a short time. He also joined the New South Wales Legislative Council, which is another part of the state parliament.
In 1887, he was elected to represent Redfern. He continued to serve in this role until he passed away. James Farnell died in Petersham. He left behind his wife and eleven children. One of his sons, Frank Farnell, also became a member of the Legislative Assembly.
Honours and Recognition
James Farnell was a respected leader. He was offered a knighthood, but he chose to decline it.
He was also the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New South Wales. This is a high position in a well-known community organization called the Freemasons. He was installed as Grand Master on December 3, 1877.
