The 1856 New South Wales colonial election was to return 54 members of Legislative Assembly composed of 34 electoral districts with 18 returning 1 member, 13 returning 2 members, two returning 3 members and one returning 4 members, all with a first past the post system. [1] In multi-member districts, because each voter could cast more than one vote, it is not possible to total the votes to show the number of voters and voter turnout in these districts is estimated. 8 members from 6 districts were returned unopposed. [2]
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
John Plunkett (elected) | 182 | 52.9 | |
John Chisholm | 162 | 47.1 | |
Columbus Fitzpatrick | 0 | 0.0 | |
Total formal votes | 344 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 344 | 64.4 |
Polling was conducted on 31 March 1856. Plunkett served in the old Legislative Council as an appointed member. After failed attempts to win election for Sydney City and North Eastern Boroughs, Plunkett was elected to represent Bathurst (County) on the same day as winning Argyle. After attending the first sitting of Parliament representing both seats, and even attempting to use both votes in the ballot for Speaker, Plunkett resigned as MP for Bathurst (County) and represented Argyle. Sitting Legislative Councillor for County of Argyle was Charles Nicholson who did not contest the election.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
John Plunkett (elected) | 210 | 54.0 | |
James Bligh | 179 | 46.0 | |
Total formal votes | 389 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 389 | 54.6 |
Polling was conducted on 31 March 1856. Both Bligh and Plunkett had served in the old Legislative Council, Bligh representing County of Bathurst and Plunkett as an appointed member. After failed attempts to win election for Sydney City and North Eastern Boroughs, Plunkett was elected to represent Argyle on the same day as winning Bathurst (County). After signing the attendance book at the first sitting as a representative of both seats, and even attempting to vote twice in the ballot for Speaker, he chose to represent Argyle and resigned as member for Bathurst (County).
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Clark Irving (elected) | 193 | 65.9 | |
Colin McKenzie | 100 | 34.1 | |
Total formal votes | 293 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 293 | 46.1 |
Polling was conducted on 15 April 1856. Sitting Legislative Councillor for Pastoral Districts of Clarence and Darling Downs was Thomas Hood who did not contest the election but was appointed to the new Legislative Council.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
James Martin (elected 1) | 321 | 39.5 | |
Robert Jamison (elected 2) | 303 | 37.3 | |
John Arkins | 189 | 23.3 | |
Total formal votes | 813 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 487 | 54.4 |
Polling was conducted on 4 April 1856. Martin represented Counties of Cook and Westmoreland in the old Legislative Council.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
William Bowman (elected) | 129 | 28.2 | |
Ralph Robey | 124 | 27.1 | |
William Redman | 115 | 25.1 | |
Robert Ross | 90 | 19.7 | |
Total formal votes | 458 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 458 | 65.9 |
Polling was conducted on 8 April 1856. Bowman represented this seat in the old Legislative Council.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
John Darvall (elected 1) | 442 | 28.7 | |
James Pye (elected 2) | 401 | 26.1 | |
William Sherwin | 376 | 24.4 | |
Patrick Hogan | 319 | 20.7 | |
Robert Fitzgerald | 1 | 0.06 | |
Total formal votes | 1,539 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 849 | 45.7 |
Polling was conducted on 4 April 1856. Both Darvall and Fitzgerald represented the County of Cumberland in the old Legislative Council.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
William Manning (elected 1) | 833 | 38.7 | |
Elias Weekes (elected 2) | 576 | 26.8 | |
Ryan Brenan | 521 | 24.2 | |
William Russell | 220 | 10.2 | |
Total formal votes | 2,150 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 1,242 | 45.2 |
Polling was conducted on 9 April 1856. Manning had served in the old Legislative Council as an appointed member. Unlike other newly appointed Ministers, he did not have to resign and contest a ministerial by-election as he already held the office of Solicitor-General at the time of his election. Weekes was elected, but later won an appeal against his defeat in Northumberland Boroughs, choosing to sit for that seat and resign from this seat. The subsequent by-election was won by Brenan.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Richard Jones (elected 1) | 660 | 30.7 | |
Samuel Gordon (elected 2) | 550 | 25.6 | |
William Arnold (elected 3) | 380 | 17.7 | |
Andrew Lang | 349 | 16.3 | |
Alexander Park | 209 | 9.7 | |
Total formal votes | 2,148 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 842 | 58.51 |
Polling was conducted on 7 April 1856. Park had represented County of Durham in the old Legislative Council, while another representative in Charles Cowper contested Sydney City.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Henry Osborne (elected 1) | 657 | 33.5 | |
John Marks (elected 2) | 502 | 25.6 | |
Charles Jenkins | 398 | 20.3 | |
George Pickering | 176 | 9.0 | |
David L. Waugh | 136 | 7.0 | |
James Shoobert | 91 | 4.6 | |
Total formal votes | 1,960 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 980 | 66.3 |
Polling was conducted on 31 March 1856. Osborne had represented this district in the old Legislative Council.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Thomas Barker (elected) | 163 | 37.7 | |
James Williamson | 139 | 32.18 | |
Joseph Andrews | 130 | 30.1 | |
Total formal votes | 432 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 432 | 41.30 |
Polling was conducted on 10 April 1856. Barker served in the old Legislative Council as an appointed member. Sitting Legislative Councillor for Counties of Gloucester and Macquarie was Phillip Parker King who did not contest the election.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Peter Faucett (elected) | 199 | 71.6 | |
Isaac Shepherd | 79 | 28.4 | |
Total formal votes | 278 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 278 | 43.9 |
Polling was conducted on 7 April 1856. James Chisholm, the member of the Legislative Council for Counties of King and Georgiana, did not contest the election.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
James Garland (elected 1) | 134 | 37.6 | |
William Macleay (elected 2) | 129 | 36.2 | |
John Hardy | 63 | 17.7 | |
Daniel Henry Thorn | 30 | 8.4 | |
Total formal votes | 356 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 182 | 49.32 |
Polling was conducted on 19 April 1856. Macleay had represented Pastoral Districts of Lachlan and Lower Darling in the old Legislative Council.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Gideon Lang (elected 1) | 152 | 45.9 | |
Francis Rusden (elected 2) | 108 | 32.6 | |
Augustus Morris | 71 | 21.5 | |
Total formal votes | 331 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 184 | 33.3 |
Polling was conducted on 16 April 1856. Morris had represented Pastoral Districts of Liverpool Plains and Gwydir in the old Legislative Council.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Daniel Egan (elected) | unopposed |
Polling was scheduled to be conducted on 16 April 1856. Egan had represented Pastoral District of Maneroo in the old Legislative Council.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Gordon Sandeman (elected) | unopposed |
Polling was scheduled to be conducted on 17 April 1856. Sitting Legislative Councillor for Pastoral Districts of Moreton, Wide Bay, Burnett, and Maranoa was Richard Joseph Smith who did not contest the election.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
George Macleay (elected) | unopposed | ||
John Hay (elected) | unopposed |
Polling was scheduled to be conducted on 16 April 1856. Macleay represented Pastoral District of Murrumbidgee in the old Legislative Council.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Thomas Rusden (elected 1) | 181 | 46.9 | |
Richard Hargrave (elected 2) | 162 | 42.0 | |
John Dickson | 43 | 11.1 | |
Total formal votes | 386 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 193 | 41.87 |
Polling was conducted on 17 April 1856. Rusden had represented Pastoral Districts of New England and Macleay in the old Legislative Council.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Edward Flood (elected) | 138 | 66.0 | |
John Plunkett | 71 | 34.0 | |
Total formal votes | 209 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 209 | 58.7 |
Polling was conducted on 29 March 1856. Both Flood and Plunkett had served in the old Legislative Council, Flood representing this district and Plunkett as an appointed member. Plunkett had earlier contested Sydney City and was unsuccessful. After his defeat in this seat, Plunkett contested both Argyle and Bathurst (County).
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Alexander Walker Scott (elected 1) | 821 | 27.1 | |
William Piddington (elected 2) | 706 | 23.3 | |
Hovenden Hely (elected 3) | 574 | 19.0 | |
Henry Douglass | 389 | 12.8 | |
George Bowman | 289 | 9.5 | |
Walter Rotton | 250 | 8.3 | |
Total formal votes | 3,029 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 1,180 | 50.7 |
Polling was conducted on 17 April 1856. Both Bowman and Douglass had represented Counties of Northumberland and Hunter in the old Legislative Council. John Plunkett was nominated to stand in this seat but after being elected to both Argyle and Bathurst (County) on 31 March, he withdrew his nomination.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Bob Nichols (elected 1) | 660 | 39.0 | |
Bourn Russell (elected 2) | 521 | 30.8 | |
Elias Weekes | 513 | 30.3 | |
Total formal votes | 1,694 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 1,034 | 62.4 |
Polling was conducted on 28 March 1856. Nichols represented this district in the old Legislative Council. Committee of Elections and Qualifications conducted a re-count and overturned the election of Bourn Russell and declared that Elias Weekes had been elected. [23]
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Henry Parker (elected 1) | 310 | 30.2 | |
George Oakes (elected 2) | 303 | 29.5 | |
James Byrnes | 222 | 21.6 | |
Andrew Murray | 191 | 18.6 | |
Total formal votes | 1,026 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 550 | 72.7 |
Polling was conducted on 29 March 1856. Both Parker and Oakes had served in the old Legislative Council, Oakes representing Town of Parramatta and Parker as an appointed member.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
John Robertson (elected) | 169 | 74.1 | |
Joseph Docker | 59 | 25.9 | |
Total formal votes | 228 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 228 | 53.3 |
Polling was conducted on 11 April 1856. William Dumaresq, the sitting Legislative Councillor for Counties of Phillip, Brisbane and Bligh, did not contest the election.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
William Lee (elected) | 136 | 44.2 | |
William Suttor | 114 | 37.0 | |
William Cummings | 58 | 18.8 | |
Total formal votes | 308 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 308 | 43.8 |
Polling was conducted on 8 April 1856. Suttor had served in the old Legislative Council as the elected member for Counties of Roxburgh, Phillip and Wellington from 1843 to 1851, then as the elected member for Counties of Roxburgh and Wellington from 1851 to 1854. The sitting Legislative Councillor, Saul Samuel contested Wellington (County).
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
James Thompson (elected) | 158 | 35.8 | |
Richard Sadleir | 149 | 33.7 | |
William Roberts | 135 | 30.5 | |
Total formal votes | 442 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 442 | 74.9 |
Polling was conducted on 10 April 1856. Sitting Legislative Councillor for Counties of Murray and St Vincent, Daniel Cooper contested Sydney Hamlets.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Terence Murray (elected) | unopposed |
Polling was scheduled to be conducted on 4 April 1856. Murray had represented this district in the old Legislative Council.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Thomas Holt (elected 1) | 320 | 32.6 | |
John Richardson (elected 2) | 316 | 32.2 | |
Arthur Macalister | 179 | 18.2 | |
Frederick Forbes | 167 | 17.0 | |
Total formal votes | 983 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 627 | 50.4 |
Polling was conducted on 7 April 1856. Richardson had represented this district in the old Legislative Council.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Henry Buckley (elected) | 304 | 74.3 | |
William Dorsey | 105 | 25.7 | |
Total formal votes | 409 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 409 | 52.3 |
Polling was conducted on 9 April 1856. Sitting Legislative Councillor for County of Stanley was John Dunmore Lang who did not contest the election.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Charles Cowper (elected 1) | 3,073 | 20.5 | |
Henry Parkes (elected 2) | 3,057 | 20.4 | |
Robert Campbell (elected 3) | 3,041 | 20.33 | |
James Wilshire (elected 4) | 2,901 | 19.4 | |
John Plunkett | 2,800 | 18.7 | |
Thomas Duigan | 89 | 0.6 | |
Total formal votes | 14,961 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 6,007 | 43.3 |
Cowper, Parkes, Campbell and Wilshire had been endorsed as a group by a public meeting to be elected to the four vacancies. [33] Parkes, Campbell and Wilshire all represented City of Sydney in the Legislative Council while Cowper represented County of Durham. There were no political parties at the time and the combination of candidates, pejoratively referred to by Plunkett as "The Bunch", was controversial. [34] Plunket, who had been an appointed member of the Council, campaigned on the slogan "plump for Plunket", [35] a reference to the voting practice of voting for a single candidate rather than the four candidates an elector was entitled to vote for. [36]
After his defeat in this seat, Plunkett unsuccessfully contested North Eastern Boroughs, before being elected for both Argyle and Bathurst (County). Plunket chose to represent Argyle and resigned as member for Bathurst (County).
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Daniel Cooper (elected 1) | 867 | 40.9 | |
Stuart Donaldson (elected 2) | 688 | 32.5 | |
Richard Driver | 415 | 19.6 | |
Merion Moriarty | 150 | 7.1 | |
Total formal votes | 2,120 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 2,120 | 39.8 |
Polling was conducted on 11 March 1856. Both Donaldson and Cooper served in the old Legislative Council, Donaldson representing Sydney Hamlets and Cooper Murray and St Vincent.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
William Forster (elected) | unopposed |
Polling was scheduled to be conducted on 5 April 1856. Sitting Legislative Councillor for Counties of Murray and St Vincent, Daniel Cooper contested Sydney Hamlets.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
George Lord (elected) | 28 | 100.0 | |
William Buchanan | 0 | 0.0 | |
Total formal votes | 28 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 28 | 9.5 |
Polling was conducted on 16 April 1856. Sitting Legislative Councillor for this district Charles Wray Finch did not contest the election.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
George Cox (elected) | 191 | 63.2 | |
Saul Samuel | 111 | 36.6 | |
Total formal votes | 302 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 302 | 50.9 |
Polling was conducted on 10 April 1856. Samuel represented Counties of Roxburgh and Wellington in the old Legislative Council.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Arthur Holroyd (elected) | 283 | 66.0 | |
James Byrnes | 146 | 34.0 | |
Total formal votes | 429 | 100.0 | |
Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
Turnout | 429 | 55.7 |
Polling was conducted on 29 March 1856. Holroyd had represented this district in the old Legislative Council.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
John Oxley (elected) | unopposed | ||
James Macarthur (elected) | unopposed |
Polling was scheduled to be conducted on 31 March 1856. Macarthur had represented this district in the old Legislative Council.
Bathurst (County) was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, named after Bathurst County and including the rural part of the county. The electorate did not include the town of Bathurst which was included in Western Boroughs, until Bathurst was created in 1859. Bathurst (County) was replaced by Carcoar, East Macquarie and West Macquarie in 1859.
Cook and Westmoreland was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales in the first and second Parliaments (1856–1859), named after Cook and Westmoreland counties in the Blue Mountains, Lithgow and Oberon areas. It elected two members simultaneously, with voters casting two votes and the first two candidates being elected. It was largely replaced by Hartley, however both members moved to other electorates, James Martin became the member for East Sydney, while Robert Jamison became the member for Nepean.
North Eastern Boroughs was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1856 to 1859, that included the towns of Newcastle, Stockton and Raymond Terrace. It was partly replaced by the electoral district of Newcastle and the electoral district of Hunter.
Northumberland and Hunter was an electoral district for the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1856 to 1859, in the Newcastle area and named after Northumberland County and the Hunter River. It elected three members, with voters casting three votes and the first three candidates being elected. For the 1859 election it was replaced by Northumberland and the remainder was divided between Hunter and Lower Hunter.
Roxburgh was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1856 to 1859, named after Roxburgh County. It included Sofala. For the 1859 election the district divided, principally the northern portion in Hartley and the south western portion in East Macquarie.
Southern Boroughs was an electoral district for the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales created in 1856. It included the towns of Goulburn, Braidwood, Yass and Queanbeyan, while the surrounding rural area were in the electoral districts of Argyle, United Counties of Murray and St Vincent and King and Georgiana. It was replaced by Goulburn, Braidwood, Queanbeyan and Yass in 1859.
Western Boroughs was an electoral district for the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1856 to 1859. It included the towns of Bathurst, Carcoar and Kelso, while the surrounding rural areas were in Bathurst (County) and Cook and Westmoreland. It was replaced by Bathurst and Carcoar.
Lachlan and Lower Darling was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It existed between 1856 and 1859, and was named after the Lachlan and Darling Rivers. It elected two members simultaneously. In 1859 it was replaced by Lachlan.
Stanley Boroughs was an electoral district for the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales created in 1856 election, named after the County of Stanley and including the towns of North Brisbane, South Brisbane, Kangaroo Point and Ipswich. The surrounding rural parts of the County of Stanley were in Stanley County. It was abolished in 1859 and replaced with Brisbane and Ipswich.
Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly who served in the first parliament of New South Wales held their seats from 1856 to 1858. The Speaker was Sir Daniel Cooper.
The 1858 New South Wales colonial election was to return 54 members of Legislative Assembly composed of 34 electoral districts with 18 returning 1 member, 13 returning 2 members, two returning 3 members and one returning 4 members, all with a first past the post system. In multi-member districts, because each voter could cast more than one vote, it is not possible to total the votes to show the number of voters and voter turnout in these districts is estimated. 17 members from 14 districts were returned unopposed. The electoral districts and boundaries were established under the Electoral Act 1851 (NSW) for the former Legislative Council.
A by-election was to be held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Bathurst County on 19 June 1856 because John Plunkett had been elected to two seats and chose to represent Argyle and resigned from Bathurst County.
Bathurst County, an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales was created in 1856 and abolished in 1859.
Cumberland Boroughs, an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales was created in 1856 and abolished in 1859.
Cumberland North Riding, an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales was created in 1856 and abolished in 1859.
Durham, an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, was created in 1856 and abolished in 1859. It was recreated in 1880 and abolished in 1920.
Western Division of Camden, an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales was created in 1856 and abolished in 1859.
Sydney City, an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, had two incarnations, from 1950 until 1971 and from 1988 until 1999.
Sydney Hamlets, an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, had two incarnations, from 1950 until 1971 and from 1988 until 1999.
Argyle, an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, has existed from the establishment of the Legislative Assembly in 1855 until the district's abolition in 1904.