William Fryar
Encyclopedia
William Fryar was an early Australia
n surveyor
, politician
, businessman and mining
inspector.
, Northumberland
, England
, the son of Thomas Fryar (mining engineer), and his wife Mary Ann, née Scott. He immigrated
to Queensland, Australia in 1853. At intervals between 1864 and 1882, Fryar worked in the Lands Department
as a licensed surveyor
in the south-eastern regions of Maroochy and Mooloolah.
In 1869, Fryar went into partnership
with James Strachan and established the first sugar mill
on the river at Loganholme. This was initially a very successful business that employed up to 100 men at crushing time. However, they were declared insolvent
in 1876, because of problems with the delivery of new equipment from Glasgow
. Fryar returned to his occupation as a surveyor.
On 6 January 1874, he joined the seventh Queensland parliament
as an independent member
for East Moreton
in the Legislative Assembly
where he was mainly interested in land policy. In May 1875, Fryar replaced Thomas Stephens who resigned as the Secretary
for Lands in the third Arthur Macalister
ministry, until its fall on 5 June 1876. He remained the member for East Moreton until he resigned in 1877, again returning to surveying.
In 1882, Fryar became the first Queensland inspector of mines and held the senior post, the Southern Division, until he retired in June 1904. He had become one of the first directors of the Queensland Evangelical Standard, a Dissenting weekly of strong political character, established on 10 June 1875.
In 1857 at Brisbane he had married Margaret Louisa Lewis. Of their ten children only two sons and two daughters survived him when he died in Coorparoo
, Brisbane
on 22 December 1912.
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...
n surveyor
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, businessman and mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
inspector.
Biography
Fryar was born on 25 January 1828 at WillingtonWillington
Willington may refer to:In England:* Willington, Bedfordshire* Willington, Cheshire* Willington, County Durham** Willington F.C., football club* Willington, Derbyshire* Willington, Kent* Willington, Tyne and Wear* Willington, Warwickshire...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the son of Thomas Fryar (mining engineer), and his wife Mary Ann, née Scott. He immigrated
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
to Queensland, Australia in 1853. At intervals between 1864 and 1882, Fryar worked in the Lands Department
Department of Natural Resources and Water
The Department of Natural Resources and Water is a defunct Queensland Government department. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander matters, Climate Change Policy and Science, Commercial Forestry, Commercial Water Services, Land , Native Title, Natural Resource Management , Catchment Management,...
as a licensed surveyor
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
in the south-eastern regions of Maroochy and Mooloolah.
In 1869, Fryar went into partnership
Partnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
with James Strachan and established the first sugar mill
Sugar refinery
A sugar refinery is a factory which refines raw sugar.Many cane sugar mills produce raw sugar, i.e. sugar with more colour and therefore more impurities than the white sugar which is normally consumed in households and used as an ingredient in soft drinks, cookies and so forth...
on the river at Loganholme. This was initially a very successful business that employed up to 100 men at crushing time. However, they were declared insolvent
Insolvency
Insolvency means the inability to pay one's debts as they fall due. Usually used to refer to a business, insolvency refers to the inability of a company to pay off its debts.Business insolvency is defined in two different ways:...
in 1876, because of problems with the delivery of new equipment from Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. Fryar returned to his occupation as a surveyor.
On 6 January 1874, he joined the seventh Queensland parliament
Queensland 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...
as an independent member
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
for East Moreton
Electoral district of East Moreton (Queensland)
East Moreton was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland from 1860 to 1878.The district took in the south-east corner of the state, south of Brisbane and Ipswich. It was a dual member electorate from 1860 to 1873 and a single member electorate from...
in the Legislative Assembly
Queensland 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...
where he was mainly interested in land policy. In May 1875, Fryar replaced Thomas Stephens who resigned as the Secretary
Company secretary
A company secretary is a senior position in a private company or public organisation, normally in the form of a managerial position or above. In the United States it is known as a corporate secretary....
for Lands in the third 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...
ministry, until its fall on 5 June 1876. He remained the member for East Moreton until he resigned in 1877, again returning to surveying.
In 1882, Fryar became the first Queensland inspector of mines and held the senior post, the Southern Division, until he retired in June 1904. He had become one of the first directors of the Queensland Evangelical Standard, a Dissenting weekly of strong political character, established on 10 June 1875.
In 1857 at Brisbane he had married Margaret Louisa Lewis. Of their ten children only two sons and two daughters survived him when he died in Coorparoo
Coorparoo, Queensland
Coorparoo is a southern suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, located approximately four kilometres from the city. Surrounding suburbs include Camp Hill, Holland Park, Greenslopes, East Brisbane, Norman Park and Seven Hills.-Aboriginal history:...
, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
on 22 December 1912.
Career highlights
- 1853 Arrived in Queensland, Australia
- 1864 - 1882 Licenced Surveyor with the Queensland Lands Department (multiple non-successive posts)
- 1874 - 1877 Independent Member for East Moreton in the Legislative Assembly
- 1875 - 1876 Secretary for Public Lands
- 1882 - 1904 First Queensland Inspector of Mines
Legacy
- Fryar Street in Camp HillCamp Hill, QueenslandCamp Hill is a largely residential suburb in the south-east of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is located approximately 4 km from the Brisbane central business district and, as its name suggests, is elevated and commands fine views of the CBD. It has an area of 4.6 square...
, BrisbaneBrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, was named after the family. - Fryar Creek, which runs into Baroon Pocket DamBaroon Pocket DamLake Baroon is formed by Baroon Pocket Dam, a dam constructed in 1988 on Obi Obi Creek, in South East Queensland. The two smaller creeks, Bridge Creek and Forbes Creek also provide inflows to the dam. The reservoir has a surface area of 400 ha, an average depth of 15 metres and holds some 60 000 ML...
, was named after William Fryar.