Thomas Barker (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Barker was an Australian politician and an appointed member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
between 1853 and 1856. He was also an elected member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
for 1 term from 1856 until 1858.
and the University of Sydney
between 1853 and 1856, prior to the establishment of responsible government. At the first election for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
after the granting of responsible government in 1856 he was elected for the seat of Gloucester and Macquarie
. He served without distinction in the first responsible parliament and was defeated at the 1858 election. He did not stand for further public office.
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 1853 and 1856. He was also an elected 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 1 term from 1856 until 1858.
Early life
Barker was born in London. He was the son of John Barker who died when Barker was 5 and he was then raised by a guardian. He was educated at home and apprenticed to an engineer, John Dickson . Barker accompanied Dickson when he migrated to Australia in 1813 and with Dickson and his brother, James Barker, he constructed and built a number of steam driven flour mills. He made a substantial fortune in the flour milling business and also constructed cotton and woolen mills. He invested in land in the Goulburn Plains district and also invested in the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney and infrastructure projects including the Sydney Railway Company. He was an early benefactor to Sydney Grammar SchoolSydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, selective, day school for boys, located in Darlinghurst, Edgecliff and St Ives, all suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
and the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
State Parliament
Barker was an appointed member of the New South Wales Legislative CouncilNew 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 1853 and 1856, prior to the establishment of responsible government. At the first election for 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...
after the granting of responsible government in 1856 he was elected for the seat of Gloucester and Macquarie
Electoral district of Gloucester and Macquarie
Gloucester and Macquarie was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales in the first and second Parliaments , named after Gloucester and Macquarie counties on the Mid North Coast....
. He served without distinction in the first responsible parliament and was defeated at the 1858 election. He did not stand for further public office.