Joshua Peter Bell
Encyclopedia
Sir Joshua Peter Bell K.C.M.G. (19 January 1827 – 20 December 1881) was a pastoralist and parliamentarian
from Queensland
, Australia
. His eldest son was barrister
and parliamentarian Joshua Thomas Bell
.
, Ireland
, eldest son of Thomas Bell and his wife Sarah, née Alexander. The family emigrated to Australia around 1830. He attended the Sydney College
and King's School, Parramatta
. In 1848, Bell became joint manager of Jimbour Station in Darling Downs, Queensland with his brother Alexander after his father had taken over the lease of the property. Bell soon assumed sole control of the station due to his astute management that saw the station becoming one of the most respected in the area.
. He was successful in this election and continued to hold the seat for eleven years.
(in the first Queensland ministry under Robert Herbert
) a position he held until 1866. In 1886 there was a financial crisis owing to the failure of two banks, Bell as treasurer stated that he intended to issue "inconvertible government notes". The governor, Sir George Bowen, considered that would be an infringement of the prerogatives of the crown and then premier Arthur Macalister
resigned on 20 July 1866. Bell later assumed the role of treasurer in a subsequent government in 1871 and remained in office for further three years. Bell also held a number of other ministerial positions, notably Minister for Lands in 1866 and acting Minister for Works in 1867.
and was elected president.. For a short period of time from March to November 1880, Bell was appointed as Administrator
in the absence of the then Governor
Sir Arthur Kennedy
. He was appointed K.C.M.G. in 1881, but died suddenly later that year and was buried at Toowong Cemetery
.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
from Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. His eldest son was barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and parliamentarian Joshua Thomas Bell
Joshua Thomas Bell
Joshua Thomas Bell was an Australian barrister and politician.Bell was the son of Sir Joshua Peter Bell, and his wife Margaret Miller, née Dorsey and was born in Ipswich, Queensland...
.
Early life
Bell was born in KildareKildare
-External links:*******...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, eldest son of Thomas Bell and his wife Sarah, née Alexander. The family emigrated to Australia around 1830. He attended the Sydney College
Sydney College
Sydney College can refer to more than one establishment:*Sydney College, Bath, a former prominent independent boys school in Somerset, England, now housing the Holburne Museum of Art*Sydney Grammar School, a grammar school in Sydney, New South Wales...
and King's School, Parramatta
The King's School, Sydney
The King's School is an independent Anglican, day and boarding school for boys in North Parramatta in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831, it is Australia's oldest school and forms one of the nine "Great Public Schools" of New South Wales. Situated within a site, Gowan Brae,...
. In 1848, Bell became joint manager of Jimbour Station in Darling Downs, Queensland with his brother Alexander after his father had taken over the lease of the property. Bell soon assumed sole control of the station due to his astute management that saw the station becoming one of the most respected in the area.
Early parliamentary career
Due to his status as a prominent landholder, Bell was invited to stand in the elections in 1862 for the seat of West Morton. He won this seat with a considerable majority and remained in office for six years. In 1868 he stood for the seat of Northern Downs (Dalby), the local constituency of Jimbour Station, in the Queensland Legislative AssemblyQueensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
. He was successful in this election and continued to hold the seat for eleven years.
Ministerial career
In his eleven years in parliament in the seat of Northern Downs, Bell gained a number of ministerial roles. In 1864 he was appointed treasurerTreasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
(in the first Queensland ministry under Robert Herbert
Robert Herbert
Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert, GCB , was the first Premier of Queensland, Australia.-Early years:Born in Brighton, England, Herbert was the only son of the Hon. Algernon Herbert, a younger son of the first Earl of Carnarvon. He was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford...
) a position he held until 1866. In 1886 there was a financial crisis owing to the failure of two banks, Bell as treasurer stated that he intended to issue "inconvertible government notes". The governor, Sir George Bowen, considered that would be an infringement of the prerogatives of the crown and then premier Arthur Macalister
Arthur Macalister
Arthur Macalister, CMG was three times Premier of Queensland, Australia.-Early life:Macalister was born in Glasgow, Scotland, son of John Macalister, a cabinet maker, and his wife Mary, née Scoullar. Macalister was educated in Glasgow and emigrated to Australia with his wife Elizabeth Wallace née...
resigned on 20 July 1866. Bell later assumed the role of treasurer in a subsequent government in 1871 and remained in office for further three years. Bell also held a number of other ministerial positions, notably Minister for Lands in 1866 and acting Minister for Works in 1867.
Further career
In 1879 Bell transferred to the Queensland Legislative CouncilQueensland Legislative Council
The Queensland Legislative Council was the upper house of the parliament in the Australian state of Queensland. It was a fully nominated body which first took office on 1 May 1860. It was abolished by the Constitution Amendment Act 1921, which took effect on 23 March 1922.Consequently, the...
and was elected president.. For a short period of time from March to November 1880, Bell was appointed as Administrator
Administrator of the Government
An Administrator in the constitutional practice of some countries in the Commonwealth is a person who fulfils a role similar to that of a Governor or a Governor-General...
in the absence of the then Governor
Governors of Queensland
The Governor of Queensland is the representative in the state of Queensland of the Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level....
Sir Arthur Kennedy
Arthur Edward Kennedy
Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy GCMG CB was a British colonial administrator who served as governor of a number of British colonies, namely Sierra Leone, Western Australia, Vancouver Island, Hong Kong and Queensland....
. He was appointed K.C.M.G. in 1881, but died suddenly later that year and was buried at Toowong Cemetery
Toowong Cemetery
The Brisbane General Cemetery also known as Toowong Cemetery at Toowong, Brisbane was established in 1866 and formally opened in 1875. It is Queensland's largest cemetery and is located on forty-four hectares of land at the corner of Frederick Street and Mount Coot-tha Road approximately four and a...
.