John Douglas (Queensland politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Douglas
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| 7th Premier of Queensland | |
| In office 8 March 1877 – 21 January 1879 |
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| Preceded by | George Thorn |
| Succeeded by | Thomas McIlwraith |
| Constituency | Maryborough |
| 5th Treasurer of Queensland | |
| In office 19 December 1866 – 21 May 1867 |
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| Preceded by | John Donald McLean |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Blacket Stephens |
| Constituency | Eastern Downs |
| Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Darling Downs |
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| In office 5 July 1859 – 10 December 1859 Serving with William Handcock
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| Preceded by | William Wild |
| Succeeded by | David Bell |
| Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Camden |
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| In office 21 December 1860 – 17 July 1861 |
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| Preceded by | William Wild |
| Succeeded by | David Bell |
| Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Port Curtis |
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| In office 14 June 1863 – 1 February 1866 |
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| Preceded by | Alfred Sandeman |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Palmer |
| Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Eastern Downs |
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| In office 4 January 1867 – 18 September 1868 |
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| Preceded by | John Donald McLean |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Macalister |
| Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for East Moreton |
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| In office 28 September 1868 – 16 December 1868 Serving with Arthur Francis
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| Preceded by | James Garrick |
| Succeeded by | Henry Jordan |
| Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Maryborough |
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| In office 27 April 1875 – 24 November 1880 Serving with Henry King
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| Preceded by | Berkeley Basil Moreton |
| Succeeded by | Henry Palmer |
| Member of the Queensland Legislative Council | |
| In office 22 February 1866 – 25 July 1866 |
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| In office 11 December 1868 – 13 November 1869 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 March 1828 London, England, UK  |
| Died | 23 July 1904 (aged 76) Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia  |
| Spouses | Mary Ann Howe Sarah Hickey |
| Relations | Henry Douglas (son), Alex Douglas (great grandson) |
| Occupation | Civil Servant |
John Douglas (born March 6, 1828 – died July 23, 1904) was an important politician in Australia. He was born in England but became a key leader in Queensland, serving as its Premier.
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John Douglas: A Queensland Leader
John Douglas was born in London, England. He was the seventh son in his family. His father passed away in 1837 and his mother in 1833. John went to school at Edinburgh Academy and Rugby School. He later studied at Durham University, finishing his degree in 1850.
In 1851, John Douglas moved to New South Wales, Australia, with his brother Edward. He first worked as a commissioner for gold fields. However, he soon decided to try a different path and became involved in farming and raising livestock.
Becoming a Politician
John Douglas started his political career in New South Wales. He was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing areas like Darling Downs and Camden. He left this role in 1861.
In 1863, he moved to Queensland. There, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland for Port Curtis. He later joined the Queensland Legislative Council in 1866.
Key Roles in Government
John Douglas held several important jobs in the Queensland government. In 1866, he became the Postmaster-General. He also served as the Treasurer, managing Queensland's money, and later as the Secretary for Public Works. From 1868 to 1869, he was Postmaster-General again. After this, he became the Agent-General for Queensland in London, representing the state in England.
In 1871, Douglas returned to Queensland. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly again in 1875, representing Maryborough. From 1876 to 1877, he was the Secretary for Public Lands.
Premier of Queensland
In March 1877, John Douglas became the Premier of Queensland. This is like being the leader of the state government. During this time, he was also given a special honor, the C.M.G.. His political party lost the election in January 1879, and Douglas decided to leave politics.
Life After Politics
Even after leaving formal politics, John Douglas remained active. In 1865, he helped to get land for building a Masonic Hall in Brisbane. He also became president of the Johnsonian Club in Brisbane in 1882.
Douglas worked as a writer for the Brisbane Courier newspaper for some time. In 1885, he was appointed as a government official and magistrate on Thursday Island. He also served as a special commissioner for British New Guinea for almost three years, from 1886 to 1888. He was known for being good at dealing with the local people there.
After his work in New Guinea, Douglas returned to his role on Thursday Island in 1888. In 1890, he helped organize the rescue of people who survived the sinking of the ship RMS Quetta. He continued his work until he passed away in 1904.
Did you know that Port Douglas in Queensland is named in his honor?
His Family
John Douglas was married twice. His first wife was Mary Ann, whom he married in 1861. Sadly, she died in a carriage accident in 1876. In 1877, he married Sarah. Together, they had four sons:
- Robert Johnstone Douglas (1883–1972), who became a judge in Queensland.
- Edward Archibald Douglas (1877–1947), who also became a judge in Queensland.
- Henry Alexander Cecil Douglas (1879–1917), who became a member of the Queensland Parliament.
- Hugh Maxwell Douglas (1881–1918), who was a soldier in World War I and died fighting in France.
John Douglas passed away on July 23, 1904, on Thursday Island.
His Descendants
John Douglas has many descendants. His son Henry had a grandson named Alexander Michael Douglas. Alexander Michael Douglas's son, Alexander Rodney Douglas, also became a politician in Queensland.
See also
- Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, 1860–1863; 1863–1867; 1867–1868; 1868–1870; 1873–1878; 1878–1883
- Members of the Queensland Legislative Council, 1860–1869
- List of Durham University people
