John Harris (New South Wales politician)

John Harris (10 August 1838 – 7 November 1911) was an Irish-born Australian politician.

Alderman John Harris, J.P. 1887

He was born in Maghera in County Londonderry to John Harris and Nancy Ann McKee. His family migrated to Sydney in 1842. He attended the University of Sydney, but left before graduating to manage the property he had inherited from his father. In 1869 he married Lizzie Henrietta Dingle Page; they had eight children.^[1]

He was a Sydney City Councillor from 1873 to 1883, from 1885 to 1900 and from 1902 to 1911, serving as Mayor from 1881 to 1883 and from 1888 to 1889,^[2] known for reforming the council and with a reputation for honesty.^[3] He was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for West Sydney at the 1877 election, but he was defeated at the 1880 election.^[4] He was returned to the Legislative Assembly as the member for South Sydney at the 1882 election, he did not contest in 1885.^[5] He stood as the Liberal Reform candidate for Pyrmont at the 1904 election, but was unsuccessful.^[6] He did not hold any ministerial office.^[7]

Harris died at Ultimo on 7 November 1911(1911-11-07) (aged 73).^[7]

References

1. Rutledge, Martha (1972). "Harris, John (1838–1911)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 4. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
2. "John Harris". Sydney's Aldermen. City of Sydney. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
3. Digby, Everard, ed. (1889). Australian men of mark (PDF). Vol. 2. Sydney: Charles F Maxwell. pp. 128–131.
4. Green, Antony. "Elections for the District of West Sydney". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
5. Green, Antony. "Elections for the District of Redfern". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
6. Green, Antony. "1904 Pyrmont". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
7. "Mr John Harris (1838-1911)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 10 June 2019.

 

New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by John Booth Henry Dangar George Dibbs	Member for West Sydney 1877 – 1880 With: Angus Cameron James Merriman Daniel O'Connor	Succeeded by Francis Abigail William Martin
Preceded by George Carter John Davies	Member for South Sydney 1882 – 1885 With: Joseph Olliffe William Poole George Withers	Succeeded by John Davies Archibald Forsyth James Toohey
Civic offices
Preceded by Robert Fowler	Mayor of Sydney 1881 – 1883	Succeeded by John Hardie
Preceded by Alban Riley	Mayor of Sydney 1888 – 1889	Succeeded by Sydney Burdekin