Arthur Hunter Palmer

Arthur Hunter Palmer
Sources for this person

Open first source page →

1819–1898 · 78 years old

Born 28 December 1819 in Armagh, Northern IrelandDied 20 March 1898 in Queensland, Australia

After failing to obtain suitable land in the Mitchell District, in 1863 leased thirteen runs totalling 900 square miles near the Belyando River in the South Kennedy District, Queensland, and named the station Beaufort. He bought rams at the Darling Downs Sheep Show in July 1864 to improve his stock, and over the years expanded Beaufort and speculated in other land holdings. Beaufort passed from his possession in 1897 after successive financial crises, the application of land Acts to large stations, and his difficulties as a director of the Queensland National Bank. The ADB records his occupation as grazier (sheep).

Degrees

Family

Partner

CM Cecilia Jesse Mosman 1844–1885

Children with Cecilia Jesse Mosman

AP Arthur Cecil Hunter Palmer 1868–1956 EP Emily Harriet Palmer 1870–1870 CP Cecilia Evangeline Hunter Palmer 1877–1880 HP Henry Wyndham Palmer d. 1887 WP William Dangar Hunter Palmer d. 1922

Places 19 locations

BirthMigrationWorkOtherDeath / burialEducation

Timeline

1810s
Born 28 December 1819

Armagh, Northern Ireland

Sources

Open first source page →
1830s
19
Immigrated (Arrival in New South Wales) 1838

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Emigrated from Ireland and arrived at Sydney in 1838 aboard the City of Edinburgh.

Sources

Open source page →
1840s
21
Occupation (Manager, Dangar pastoral holdings) 1840–1863

New England, New South Wales, Australia

From 1840 managed Henry Dangar's New England pastoral holdings in New South Wales. He was left in charge of all the family's properties and affairs while Dangar and his wife visited England in 1852, and on Dangar's return in 1856 an agreement made him general manager of all the Dangar holdings, which allowed him to accumulate capital and stock. He continued to manage the Dangar affairs until 1863.

Sources

Open source page →
1860s
44
Occupation (Pastoralist, Beaufort Station) 1863–1897

After failing to obtain suitable land in the Mitchell District, in 1863 leased thirteen runs totalling 900 square miles near the Belyando River in the South Kennedy District, Queensland, and named the station Beaufort. He bought rams at the Darling Downs Sheep Show in July 1864 to improve his stock, and over the years expanded Beaufort and speculated in other land holdings. Beaufort passed from his possession in 1897 after successive financial crises, the application of land Acts to large stations, and his difficulties as a director of the Queensland National Bank. The ADB records his occupation as grazier (sheep).

Sources

Open source page →
46
Magistrate, Port Curtis District 1865

Queensland, Australia

Acted as a magistrate in the Port Curtis District, Queensland, from 1865, his first public office.

Sources

Open source page →
46
Member for Port Curtis, Queensland Legislative Assembly 19 March 1866 – 14 November 1878

Queensland, Australia

Elected in 1866 for Port Curtis in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, aligning himself with the squatter party. He held the seat until 14 November 1878, succeeding John Douglas and being succeeded by Albert Norton.

Sources

Open source page →
48
Colonial Secretary and Secretary for Public Works, Queensland 1867–1868

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Colonial Secretary and Secretary for Public Works in R. R. Mackenzie's ministry after the fall of the Macalister government in 1867. In this office he initiated stringent economies in the government departments and was criticised by the liberal faction for that retrenchment policy. The ministry fell in November 1868 and he joined the Opposition.

Sources

Open source page →
48
Birth of son Arthur Cecil Hunter Palmer 21 April 1868

Queensland, Australia
1870s
50
Premier of Queensland 3 May 1870 – 7 January 1874

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Fifth Premier of Queensland, also holding the office of Colonial Secretary. Governor Blackall asked him to form a government when Charles Lilley's ministry fell in May 1870. His ministry survived general elections in September 1870, September 1871 and December 1873. Measures passed under it included the Electoral Redistribution Act, which divided the colony into single-member electorates on the basis of population, and a Homestead Areas Act providing for the resumption of runs in the Darling Downs and Moreton districts for closer settlement. An economic depression in 1870 led him again to adopt a retrenchment policy, which was unpopular with city dwellers. In June 1873 he introduced, as a private member, a bill for free, compulsory and wholly state-supported education; it failed at the second reading with most of his own colleagues voting against it, and he resigned. He was defeated when parliament assembled on 6 January 1874. He was preceded as Premier by Charles Lilley and succeeded by Arthur Macalister.

Sources

Open source page →
50
Birth of daughter Emily Harriet Palmer 10 October 1870

Queensland, Australia
50
Death of daughter Emily Harriet Palmer 17 October 1870

Queensland, Australiainfant
55
Leader of the Opposition, Queensland 1874–1878

Queensland, Australia

Leader of the Opposition in the Queensland Legislative Assembly from his defeat on 6 January 1874. He associated increasingly with Thomas McIlwraith and in 1878 retired as leader in McIlwraith's favour.

Sources

Open source page →
57
Birth of daughter Cecilia Evangeline Hunter Palmer 13 April 1877

Queensland, Australia
58
Member for North Brisbane, Queensland Legislative Assembly 15 November 1878 – 24 December 1881

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Elected in 1878 for the new seat of North Brisbane in the Queensland Legislative Assembly, which he represented alongside Samuel Griffith. He resigned the seat in December 1881 on being called to the Legislative Council, and was succeeded by William Brookes.

Sources

Open source page →
59
Colonial Secretary and Secretary for Public Instruction, Queensland January 1879 – 1881

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Appointed in January 1879 Colonial Secretary, Secretary for Public Instruction and President of the Executive Council in Thomas McIlwraith's ministry. For a time in 1879-80 he acted as Premier while McIlwraith was in England negotiating a loan of three million pounds for public works. In 1880 Griffith accused Palmer and McIlwraith of holding shares in McIlwraith, McEacharn & Co., which had the contract to ship steel rails for Queensland railway construction; a royal commission exonerated both in 1881.

Sources

Open source page →
1880s
60
Death of daughter Cecilia Evangeline Hunter Palmer 29 January 1880

Queensland, Australiaaged 2
61
President of the Queensland Legislative Council 24 December 1881 – 20 March 1898

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Resigned from the Legislative Assembly in December 1881 and was called to the Queensland Legislative Council, becoming its President on 24 December 1881. He held the presidency, and his seat in the Council, until his death on 20 March 1898.

Sources

Open source page →
62
Title (KCMG) 1881

Appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1881, thereafter styled Sir Arthur Hunter Palmer.

Sources

Open source page →
63
Administrator of the Government of Queensland 2 May 1883 – 6 November 1883

Queensland, Australia

Administered the government of Queensland as deputy to the Governor in the Governor's absence.

Sources

Open source page →
65
Death of partner Cecilia Jesse Mosman 31 August 1885

Brisbane, Queensland, Australiaaged 40
66
Administrator of the Government of Queensland 20 April 1886 – 12 December 1886

Queensland, Australia

Administered the government of Queensland as deputy to the Governor in the Governor's absence.

Sources

Open source page →
67
Death of son Henry Wyndham Palmer 10 May 1887

Queensland, Australia
68
Administrator of the Government of Queensland 9 October 1888 – 1 May 1889

Queensland, Australia

Administered the government of Queensland as deputy to the Governor in the Governor's absence.

Sources

Open source page →
1890s
70
Administrator of the Government of Queensland 16 November 1890 – 6 May 1891

Queensland, Australia

Administered the government of Queensland as deputy to the Governor in the Governor's absence.

Sources

Open source page →
75
Lieutenant-Governor of Queensland 15 November 1895 – 9 April 1896

Queensland, Australia

Served as Lieutenant-Governor of Queensland; the ADB describes him as the first lieutenant-governor of the colony.

Sources

Open source page →
Undated
Education (Youghal Grammar School)

Youghal, Cork, Ireland

Educated at Youghal Grammar School, County Cork, and afterwards by a private tutor in Dublin.

Sources

Open source page →
1890s
78
Died 20 March 1898

Queensland, Australia
Undated
Buried

Toowong, Queensland, Australia

Buried at Toowong Cemetery, Toowong, Brisbane. He died on 20 March 1898 at his home, Easton Gray, Toowong, and left an estate of 23,900 pounds.

Sources

Open source page →