Arthur Holroyd
Encyclopedia
Arthur Todd Holroyd was an Australian lawyer and politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
between 1852 and 1856. He was also a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
for two periods between 1856 and 1857 and again between 1861 and 1864.
and then took medical degrees at the University of Edinburgh
and Christ's College, Cambridge
. After practicing as a physician in London for a short period he entered Lincoln's Inn
and was called to the bar. While studying law he traveled extensively in the Middle East, became proficient in Arabic and was the first Englishman to visit Kurdufan
. He exposed the continuing horrors of the slave- trade in Sudan.
Holroyd emigrated to the antipodes in 1843 and commenced practice as a solicitor and barrister. Holroyd was a master in equity of the New South Wales Supreme Court between 1866 and 1881 and an acting justice in 1879. While on the bench, he was accused of displaying "extraordinary behaviour" but this was considered to be a product of his short temper rather than evidence of mis-conduct. Holroyd was an alderman and the first mayor of Prospect and Sherwood Municipal Council
(now called Holroyd City Council), a leading Freemason and a trustee of Sydney Grammar School
and St. Paul's College, Sydney
. He developed a large property called "Sherwood Scrubs" in the Parramatta
area.
The local government area of Holroyd
and the suburb therein also called Holroyd
, are named in his honor. His property there "Merrylands" also gives its name to the suburb of that name.
and Carcoar
) until the granting of responsible self-government in 1856. Subsequently, at the first election under the new constitution he was elected to the Legislative Assembly as the member for for the same seat
. He was defeated by 6 votes at the next election in 1858. Holroyd re-entered parliament as one of the two members for Parramatta
at an 1861 by-election caused by the resignation of James Byrnes
. However, Byrnes defeated him at the subsequent general election. He then retired from political life.
. He held this position for 15 months but resigned after being accused by William Arnold
of accepting a bribe to appoint an associate to the bench of magistrates. A parliamentary commission found no truth in this accusation.
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
between 1852 and 1856. He was also a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
for two periods between 1856 and 1857 and again between 1861 and 1864.
Early life
Holroyd was the son of a London merchant. He was initially educated at Ripon Grammar SchoolRipon Grammar School
Ripon Grammar School is a co-educational, selective, state secondary grammar school and specialist engineering college located in Ripon, North Yorkshire, England...
and then took medical degrees at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
and Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
. After practicing as a physician in London for a short period he entered Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
and was called to the bar. While studying law he traveled extensively in the Middle East, became proficient in Arabic and was the first Englishman to visit Kurdufan
Kurdufan
Kurdufan , also spelled Kordofan, is a former province of central Sudan. In 1994 it was divided into three new federal states: North Kurdufan, South Kurdufan, and West Kurdufan...
. He exposed the continuing horrors of the slave- trade in Sudan.
Holroyd emigrated to the antipodes in 1843 and commenced practice as a solicitor and barrister. Holroyd was a master in equity of the New South Wales Supreme Court between 1866 and 1881 and an acting justice in 1879. While on the bench, he was accused of displaying "extraordinary behaviour" but this was considered to be a product of his short temper rather than evidence of mis-conduct. Holroyd was an alderman and the first mayor of Prospect and Sherwood Municipal Council
City of Holroyd
Holroyd is a Local Government Area and suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, located in the Western Sydney region. Originally known as the Municipality of Prospect and Sherwood it was incorporated in February 1872, in 1927 it was renamed the Municipality of Holroyd after Arthur Holroyd,...
(now called Holroyd City Council), a leading Freemason and a trustee of Sydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, selective, day school for boys, located in Darlinghurst, Edgecliff and St Ives, all suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
and St. Paul's College, Sydney
St. Paul's College, Sydney
St Paul's College in Sydney, Australia, is an Anglican residential college for men which is affiliated with the University of Sydney. Founded in 1856 by an 1854 act of the New South Wales Legislative Council, it is Australia's oldest university college...
. He developed a large property called "Sherwood Scrubs" in the Parramatta
Parramatta, New South Wales
Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Greater Western Sydney west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Parramatta River. Parramatta is the administrative seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Parramatta...
area.
The local government area of Holroyd
Holroyd, New South Wales
Holroyd is a small suburb in western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Holroyd is located 24 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Holroyd. The local government area takes its name from Arthur Holroyd, first Mayor of the area, local...
and the suburb therein also called Holroyd
Holroyd, New South Wales
Holroyd is a small suburb in western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Holroyd is located 24 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Holroyd. The local government area takes its name from Arthur Holroyd, first Mayor of the area, local...
, are named in his honor. His property there "Merrylands" also gives its name to the suburb of that name.
State Parliament
In 1851, prior to the establishment of responsible self-government, Holroyd was elected to the semi-elective Legislative Council. He represented the electorate of Western Boroughs (including BathurstBathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
and Carcoar
Carcoar, New South Wales
Carcoar is a town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia, in Blayney Shire. In 2006, the town had a population of 218 people. It is situated just off the Mid-Western Highway 258 km west of Sydney and 52 km south-west of Bathurst and is 720 m above sea-level...
) until the granting of responsible self-government in 1856. Subsequently, at the first election under the new constitution he was elected to the Legislative Assembly as the member for for the same seat
Electoral district of Western Boroughs
Western Boroughs was a former 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 and Cook and Westmoreland. It was replaced by...
. He was defeated by 6 votes at the next election in 1858. Holroyd re-entered parliament as one of the two members for Parramatta
Electoral district of Parramatta
Parramatta is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is currently held by Geoff Lee of the Liberal Party of Australia....
at an 1861 by-election caused by the resignation of James Byrnes
James Byrnes (Australian politician)
James Byrnes 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 totaling 10 years between 1857 and 1872...
. However, Byrnes defeated him at the subsequent general election. He then retired from political life.
Government
Holroyd was the Secretary for Public Works in the first government of James MartinJames Martin (Australian politician)
Sir James Martin, KCB, QC was three times Premier of New South Wales, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales from 1873 to 1886.-Early career:...
. He held this position for 15 months but resigned after being accused by William Arnold
William Munnings Arnold
The Hon. William Munning Arnold was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1856 until his death. He held numerous ministerial positions between 1860 and 1865 including Secretary for Public Works and Secretary for Lands...
of accepting a bribe to appoint an associate to the bench of magistrates. A parliamentary commission found no truth in this accusation.