James Byrnes (Australian politician)

James Byrnes (15 January 1806 – 17 September 1886) was an Australian politician. He was an elected member of the New South Wales Legislative Council in 1851 and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for two periods totalling 10 years between 1857 and 1872. He held the position of Secretary for Public Works on two occasions between 1866 and 1872.

Early life

Byrnes was born into a Protestant Anglo-Irish family which migrated to Sydney when Byrnes was 2 years old. His father served with the Rum corps and with other regiments garrisoned in NSW. Byrnes had little formal education but became a successful carpenter and builder. Together with his brother William,(a member of the Legislative Council between 1858 and 1891), he invested in steam-powered cotton, wool and flour mills and pioneered steam ferry transport on the Parramatta River. He later invested in a number of colonial banks and insurance companies. Byrnes was a leading Methodist layman and was involved with a number of charities in Parramatta including the District Hospital and the Benevolent Society

Colonial Parliament

Prior to the establishment of responsible self-government, Byrnes was elected to the semi-elected New South Wales Legislative Council in March 1850. He represented the electorate of County Cumberland but resigned after 15 months. Following the granting of self-government, Byrnes was elected to the first Legislative Assembly as one of the three members for the seat of Cumberland (South Riding). Although failing to be elected at the general election of 1856, he was subsequently successful at an 1857 by-election caused by the retirement of William Manning due to ill-health. At the 1858 colonial election he was elected to the two-member seat of Parramatta. He was subsequently the first member elected to the seat at the 1859 election but at the 1860 election he gained second place. While still successful, Byrnes took offence at being placed second and used his declaration of poll speech to upbraid his supporters. He resigned from the seat before parliament met. Following his resignation, he was nominated to a life appointment in the Legislative Council by the government of Charles Cowper but resigned before taking his seat. At the next election in 1864–65 Byrnes was again the first member elected for Parramatta and he retained the seat until he was defeated at the 1872 election. Subsequent attempts to re-gain public office were unsuccessful.

Government

Byrnes served as Secretary of Public Works in the second and third ministries of James Martin.

References

• "Mr James Byrnes (1806 - 1886)". Former members of the New South Wales Parliament, 1856-2006. New South Wales Parliament. Retrieved 2014-06-15.