Thomas Gillies

Thomas Bannatyne Gillies (17 January 1828 – 26 July 1889) was a 19th-century New Zealand lawyer, judge and politician.

Early life

He was born at Rothesay on the Isle of Bute, Scotland, on 17 January 1828. He was the eldest of nine children of John Gillies, local lawyer and town clerk, and his wife, Isabella Lillie, daughter of a Glasgow businessman and granddaughter of a Huguenot refugee. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1852.[1]

He was the brother of John Lillie Gillies and Robert Gillies.[2][3]

Political career

Parliament of New Zealand
Years Term Electorate Party
1860 2nd Dunedin Country Independent
18611865 3rd Bruce Independent
1870 4th Mongonui Independent
18711875 5th Auckland West Independent

He was the Member of Parliament for Dunedin Country 1860, then Bruce 1861 to 1865 (resigned); two electorates in the South Island. He then represented Mongonui 1870 (elected 30 March 1870; Parliament dissolved 30 December 1870) then Auckland West 1871 to 1875 (resigned); two electorates in the North Island.[4]

He was the seventh Superintendent of Auckland Province from 1869 to 1873.[5]

He was a cabinet minister, and held the positions of Attorney-General (August 1862) in the Domett Ministry, Postmaster-General and Secretary for Crown Lands (1863–1864) in the Whitaker–Fox Ministry, and Colonial Treasurer (1872) in the third Stafford Ministry.[6]

Professional career

Gillies joined the practise of his father John Gillies and John Hyde Harris in July 1857.[7] In the 1860s, he ran a law practice in Dunedin with William Richmond, a fellow (ex) MP.[8]

Notes

  1. Rennie, Hugh. "Gillies, Thomas Bannatyne". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  2. "In Memoriam. Robert Gillies.". The Evening Post. XXXII (24). 15 June 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  3. "The Late Robert Gillies". Bruce Herald XVII (1759). 18 June 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  4. Wilson 1985, p. 199.
  5. Scholefield 1950, p. 179.
  6. Wilson 1985, pp. 62, 64.
  7. "Dissolution of Partnership; Co-Partnership". Otago Witness (295). 25 July 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  8. A. H. McLintock, ed. (22 April 2009). "GILLIES, Thomas Bannatyne". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage / Te Manatū Taonga. Retrieved 6 October 2010. Check date values in: |year=, |year= / |date= mismatch (help)

References

Political offices
Preceded by
Henry Sewell
Attorney-General
1862
Succeeded by
Henry Sewell
Preceded by
John Williamson
Superintendent of Auckland Province
18691873
Succeeded by
John Williamson
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by
William Cargill
Member of Parliament for Dunedin Country
1860
Served alongside: John Parkin Taylor
Constituency abolished
New constituency Member of Parliament for Bruce
18611865
Served alongside: Charles Kettle, Edward Cargill
Succeeded by
Arthur John Burns
Preceded by
Thomas Ball
Member of Parliament for Mongonui
1870
Succeeded by
John McLeod
Preceded by
Patrick Dignan
Member of Parliament for Auckland West
18711875
Served alongside: John Williamson
Succeeded by
George Grey