Hannibal Hawkins Macarthur | |
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Portrait of Hannibal Hawkins Macarthur as a young man Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: ML 145. |
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Born | 16 January 1788 Plymouth, Devonshire, England |
Died | 21 October 1861 Norwood, London, England |
(aged 73)
Resting place | West Norwood Cemetery, London, England |
Hannibal Hawkins Macarthur (16 January 1788 - 21 October 1861) was an Australian colonist, politician, businessman and wool pioneer. The nephew of John Macarthur and son-in-law of former New South Wales governor, Philip Gidley King, he was well-connected in the early colony of New South Wales.[1]
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Hannibal Hawkins Macarthur was born on 16 January 1788 at Plymouth, Devonshire, England. His father, James Macarthur, a draper, was the elder brother of John Macarthur. When his uncle John returned to New South Wales after resigning his commission to avoid being posted to Norfolk Island, he persuaded Hannibal to join him. Hannibal arrived at Sydney on 9 June 1805.[1][2]
He left New South Wales in 1808 for England by way of China and the Philippines where he unsuccessfully traded sandalwood for his uncle John, arriving home in 1810.[1]
Hannibal arrived back in Sydney in August 1812 per his uncle's ship, the Isabella with a cargo for sale in the colony and to help his uncle's wife, Elizabeth Macarthur in John's absence.[1]
He gained recognition while caring for his uncle's merino sheep during his absences, and by 1817 was able secure land for his own merino flocks, and run a trading store. He actively participated in the intrigues of the time and through his connections became prominent in the community and local politics. He joined the New South Wales Legislative Council in 1830, representing the conservatives in the nominated, and then part-elected Council for Parramatta until 1848.[1][3]
He also had a directorship in the newly-created Bank of Australia, but at its collapse in 1843 Macarthur became insolvent, lost most of his property, and relocated to Ipswich, in the Moreton Bay District of the Colony of New South Wales where he was given a commission as police magistrate in 1852.[1]
One of his daughters, Elizabeth (17 May 1815 – 27 November 1899), married Philip Gidley King, son of Philip Parker King, another Anna (7 December 1816 – 23 June 1852) married John Clements Wickham and a third, Catherine (14 June 1818 – 10 April 1894) married Patrick Leslie.[4]:21
On the death of his wife in 1853, he returned to England, where he died at Norwood on 21 October 1861, and is buried at West Norwood Cemetery.[1][5]