William Mercer (Australian politician)

Major William Drummond Mercer (1796–1871) was a British Army officer, landowner, pastoralist and politician in colonial New South Wales.[1] [2]

Mercer was the only surviving nephew of George Mercer.[2] Major Mercer, having retired from the 16th Lancers, departed Calcutta and arrived in Hobart in March 1838 along with his cousin, Lieutenant George Duncan Mercer. Mercer was a pastoralist with his two cousins, George Duncan Mercer and John Henry Mercer in properties near Geelong.[1][2] Mercer was elected to the district of Port Phillip in the New South Wales Legislative Council in June 1850.[1] He held that seat until it was abolished prior to the creation of Victoria (Australia) as a separate colony. Mercer returned to Scotland and settled in Perthshire.[2]

References


New South Wales Legislative Council
Preceded by
John Foster
Lauchlan Mackinnon
Member for Port Phillip
1850–1851
Served alongside: Charles Ebden, Henry Moor
John Dickson, William Macarthur
seat abolished