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Australian Army officer and politician (1867–1946) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Major General James William Macarthur-Onslow, VD (7 November 1867 – 17 November 1946) was a soldier, grazier and politician. The son of a prominent New South Wales family, he was commissioned in the New South Wales Mounted Rifles in 1892 and served in the Chitral Expedition, Second Boer War and the First World War. Afterwards, he served in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and New South Wales Legislative Council.
James Macarthur-Onslow | |
|---|---|
James MacArthur-Onslow c. 1930 | |
| Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council | |
| In office 4 July 1922 – 22 April 1934 | |
| Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Eastern Suburbs | |
| In office 20 March 1920 – 17 February 1922 | |
| Preceded by | New seat |
| Succeeded by | Hyman Goldstein |
| Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Bondi | |
| In office 6 December 1913 – 18 February 1920 | |
| Preceded by | New seat |
| Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
| Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Waverley | |
| In office 10 September 1907 – 6 November 1913 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas Jessep |
| Succeeded by | James Fingleton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 November 1867 Camden Park Estate, New South Wales |
| Died | 17 November 1946 (aged 79) Camden Park Estate, New South Wales |
| Political party | Liberal Reform Party (1910–17) Nationalist Party (1917–20) Progressive Party (1920–31) United Australia Party (1931–34) |
| Spouse |
Enid Emma Macarthur (m. 1897) |
| Parent |
|
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Cambridge |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Colony of New South Wales Australia |
| Branch/service | New South Wales Military Forces (1892–01) Citizens Military Force (1901–25) |
| Years of service | 1892–1925 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands | 1st Light Horse Brigade (1907–10) 2nd Light Horse Regiment (1903–07) 5th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse (1902) |
| Battles/wars | Chitral Expedition Second Boer War First World War |
| Awards | Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration Mentioned in Despatches |
James William Macarthur-Onslow was born on 7 November 1867 at Camden Park Estate, near Menangle, New South Wales, the son of Captain Arthur Alexander Walton Onslow and his wife Elizabeth née Macarthur, the granddaughter of wool pioneer John Macarthur. He was educated at Sydney Grammar School. After his father died in 1882 his mother Elizabeth changed her name to Macarthur-Onslow, and in 1887 she took her children to the United Kingdom to complete their education while she studied dairy farming.
Macarthur-Onslow read law at Trinity College, Cambridge, receiving Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degrees in 1890.[1] He returned to Australia in 1891. He married Enid Emma Macarthur, the granddaughter of Hannibal Hawkins Macarthur in 1897.[2] – James' great-grandfather and Enid's great-grandfather were brothers.
Macarthur-Onslow was commissioned captain of the Camden Squadron of the New South Wales Mounted Rifles in 1892. In 1894 he was selected by commandant of the military forces in New South Wales, Colonel Edward Hutton, for training in India with the 11th Hussars, the Royal Artillery, and the 1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps of the British Army. He served in India from 1894 to 1895, seeing active service in the Chitral Expedition.[2]
In 1900 Macarthur-Onslow made his own way to South Africa in 1900 to participate in the Second Boer War,[2] where he served as aide-de-camp to Hutton, who was now a major general. He participated in operations in the Orange Free State from February to May 1900, including the actions at Vet River and Zand River, and operations in the Transvaal from May to November 1900.[3] For this service, he was mentioned in despatches by Field Marshal Lord Roberts.[4] He returned to Australia in March 1901,[3] but was later appointed to command the 5th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse.[5]
Macarthur-Onslow served as aide-de-camp to the Governor-General of Australia, the Earl of Hopetoun in 1902. He commanded the 2nd Light Horse Regiment from July 1903 until December 1907 when he was promoted to colonel on assuming command of the 1st Light Horse Brigade. He was on the unattached list in January 1910. Although too old for active service during the First World War, Macarthur-Onslow held the rank of colonel with the Sea Transport Service of the Australian Imperial Force, commanding troop ships travelling between Australia, the Middle East and Britain between 1915 and 1917. He was aide-de-camp to the Governor-General a second time from 1917 to 1920. He retired with the rank of major general in 1925.[2]
Macarthur-Onslow served the people of New South Wales as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing the seats of Waverley from 1907 to 1913,[6] Bondi from 1913 to 1920,[7] and Eastern Suburbs from 1920 to 1922.[5][8] He was nominated to the New South Wales Legislative Council in 1922, then a lifetime appointment, and served there until 1933, but was largely inactive.[2]
Macarthur-Onslow served as a director of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Limited and The Colonial Sugar Refining Company Limited. His other appointments included president of the Australian Club and director of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital 1909 until 1929.[5]
Macarthur-Onslow died at Camden Park and was survived by his wife, his son and his two daughters.[2] His papers are in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales.[5]
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