Samuel Gordon (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Samuel Gordon was an Australian merchant, pastoralist and politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
between 1861 and 1882. He was also a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
for three terms from 1856 until 1860.
, founded a brewery and acquired 50,000 acres of pastoral land on the Murrumbidgee
. In 1848, Gordon sold his assets in Liverpool at a great profit and became a wine and spirits merchant in Sydney. During his later life, in partnership with Edward Flood
, he gained control over 460 square miles (1,191.4 km²) of pastoral land in Queensland. He was also the director of a number of colonial companies including English, Scottish and Australian Bank. Gordon was involved in numerous local organisations including the Presbyterian Church, St. Andrew's College, Sydney and the YMCA
.
in the first New South Wales Legislative Assembly under responsible government. Gordon generally had a liberal outlook and was a supporter of John Dunmore Lang
, Charles Cowper
and John Robertson
particularly in questions of constitutional reform, education and land reform. He retained the seat at the 1858 election and between 1859 and 1860 he represented the seat of Illawarra
. He resigned from the Assembly before the 1860 election but accepted Cowper's invitation to join the Legislative Council as a life-time appointment in 1861. He expressed a desire to reform the council into an elective house.
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
between 1861 and 1882. He was also a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
for three terms from 1856 until 1860.
Early life
Gordon was the son of an Irish farmer and was educated in private schools in Ireland. He emigrated to Sydney in 1830 and worked in a number of mercantile houses before commencing his own company, which was involved in trade between Van Diemen's Land and New South Wales. In 1840 Gordon established a large store in LiverpoolLiverpool, New South Wales
Liverpool is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Liverpool is located 32 km south-west of the Sydney central business district, and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Liverpool...
, founded a brewery and acquired 50,000 acres of pastoral land on the Murrumbidgee
Murrumbidgee River
The Murrumbidgee River is a major river in the state of New South Wales, Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory . A major tributary of the Murray River, the Murrumbidgee flows in a west-northwesterly direction from the foot of Peppercorn Hill in the Fiery Range of the Snowy Mountains,...
. In 1848, Gordon sold his assets in Liverpool at a great profit and became a wine and spirits merchant in Sydney. During his later life, in partnership with Edward Flood
Edward Flood
Edward Flood was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council between 1851 and 1856 and again from 1879 until his death. He was also a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1856 and 1872...
, he gained control over 460 square miles (1,191.4 km²) of pastoral land in Queensland. He was also the director of a number of colonial companies including English, Scottish and Australian Bank. Gordon was involved in numerous local organisations including the Presbyterian Church, St. Andrew's College, Sydney and the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
.
State Parliament
In 1856 Gordon was elected as one of the three members for DurhamElectoral district of Durham
Durham was an electoral district for the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, named after Durham County, which lies on the north side of the Hunter River. From 1856 to 1859, it elected three members simultaneously by voters casting three votes with the three leading...
in the first New South Wales Legislative Assembly under responsible government. Gordon generally had a liberal outlook and was a supporter of John Dunmore Lang
John Dunmore Lang
John Dunmore Lang , Australian Presbyterian clergyman, writer, politician and activist, was the first prominent advocate of an independent Australian nation and of Australian republicanism.-Background and Family:...
, Charles Cowper
Charles Cowper
Sir Charles Cowper, KCMG was an Australian politician and the Premier of New South Wales on five different occasions from 1856 to 1870....
and John Robertson
John Robertson (Australian politician)
Sir John Robertson, KCMG was an Australian politician and Premier of New South Wales on five occasions. Robertson is best remembered for land reform and in particular the Robertson Land Acts of 1861, which sought to open up the selection of Crown land and break the monopoly of the...
particularly in questions of constitutional reform, education and land reform. He retained the seat at the 1858 election and between 1859 and 1860 he represented the seat of Illawarra
Electoral district of Illawarra
Illawarra was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It was originally created in 1859, replacing East Camden. It was replaced by Wollongong in 1904 and recreated in 1927. In 1968, it was abolished and partly replaced by Kembla. In 1971,...
. He resigned from the Assembly before the 1860 election but accepted Cowper's invitation to join the Legislative Council as a life-time appointment in 1861. He expressed a desire to reform the council into an elective house.