Francis Rusden
Encyclopedia
Francis Rusden was an Australian politician and pastoralist. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
between 1856 and 1857 and again between 1860 and 1864.
in 1835. After a liberal education under his father's tutorship, Rusden worked as an assistant surveyor in the Lands Department
. After resigning in 1842, he squatted
in the vicinity of Gwydir River
and eventually acquired more than 100,000 acres of pastoral land in the Gwydir and Wellington
districts. After retiring from parliament, Rusden was appointed to the position of police magistrate in the Liverpool Plains
district. His nine siblings included Thomas Rusden
, who was also a pastoralist and member of the Legislative Assembly, the historian George Rusden and the polemicist and noted Victorian public servant Henry Rusden.
at the first election held in New South Wales under responsible government. He was not a candidate at the next election in 1858 but won the seat of Gwydir
at the 1860 election. He was defeated in 1864-5 and was unsuccessful at a further attempt to re-enter parliament in 1872 He did not hold a ministerial or parliamentary position.
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...
between 1856 and 1857 and again between 1860 and 1864.
Early life
Rusden was the son of an Anglican clergyman who migrated to New South Wales and was appointed to a chaplaincy in MaitlandMaitland, New South Wales
Maitland is a city in the Lower Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Maitland City Council, situated on the Hunter River approximately by road north of Sydney and north-west of Newcastle...
in 1835. After a liberal education under his father's tutorship, Rusden worked as an assistant surveyor in the Lands Department
Land and Property Management Authority
The News South Wales Land and Property Information, a division of the Department of Finance and Services in the Government of New South Wales, is responsible for land titles, property information, valuation, surveying, and mappping and spatial information in New South Wales.The division is led by...
. After resigning in 1842, he squatted
Squatting (pastoral)
In Australian history, a squatter was one who occupied a large tract of Crown land in order to graze livestock. Initially often having no legal rights to the land, they gained its usage by being the first Europeans in the area....
in the vicinity of Gwydir River
Gwydir River
The Gwydir River is a large inland river in the northern part of the Australian state of New South Wales which is part of the Murray-Darling Basin. The river has two main tributaries—the Horton River and the Rocky River...
and eventually acquired more than 100,000 acres of pastoral land in the Gwydir and Wellington
Wellington, New South Wales
Wellington is a town in inland New South Wales, Australia located at the junction of the Macquarie and Bell Rivers. The town is the administrative centre of the Wellington Shire Local Government Area. The town is 362 kilometres from Sydney on the Great Western Highway and Mitchell Highway...
districts. After retiring from parliament, Rusden was appointed to the position of police magistrate in the Liverpool Plains
Liverpool Plains
The Liverpool Plains is a geographical area and Local Government Area in the North West Slopes, New South Wales.The Shire was formed on 17 March 2004 by the amalgamation of Quirindi Shire with parts of three other shires: Parry, Murrurundi and Gunnedah.- Main towns :* Quirindi* Ardglen*...
district. His nine siblings included Thomas Rusden
Thomas Rusden
Thomas Rusden was an Australian politician and pastoralist. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council between 1855 and 1856 and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for one term between 1856 and 1857....
, who was also a pastoralist and member of the Legislative Assembly, the historian George Rusden and the polemicist and noted Victorian public servant Henry Rusden.
State Parliament
Rusden was elected as the member for Liverpool Plains and GwydirElectoral district of Liverpool Plains and Gwydir
Liverpool Plains and Gwydir was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1856 and including the Liverpool Plains and the extensive pastoral district around the Gwydir River in the northwest of the state...
at the first election held in New South Wales under responsible government. He was not a candidate at the next election in 1858 but won the seat of Gwydir
Electoral district of Gwydir
Gwydir was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1859, when Liverpool Plains and Gwydir was divided, and named after and including the Gwydir River. In 1894 it was abolished and largely replaced by Moree and Barwon...
at the 1860 election. He was defeated in 1864-5 and was unsuccessful at a further attempt to re-enter parliament in 1872 He did not hold a ministerial or parliamentary position.