Alexander Fyfe (1826 – 2 May 1903) was a Scottish-born settler of Victoria, Australia, who became a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, Victorian Legislative Council and the Queensland Legislative Assembly.[1]

Alexander Fyfe
Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for Geelong
In office
June 1854 – March 1856
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
for Geelong
In office
November 1856 – November 1857
Preceded byNew seat
Succeeded byGeorge Board
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Rockhampton
In office
20 June 1870 – 24 November 1873
Preceded byHenry Milford
Succeeded byCharles Buzacott
Personal details
Born
Alexander Fyfe

1826
Scotland
Died1903 (aged 75–76)
Preston, Victoria, Australia
Resting placeCoburg Cemetery
OccupationPastoralist, Ironmonger's assistant

Early life

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Fyfe was born in Scotland. Fyfe emigrated to Australia, arriving in Melbourne in January 1848 aboard the Stag[2] and settled in Geelong.[1] He married Jane Nicholson Bailliff in 1854.[3]

In Geelong, he was involved in the establishment of the:[4]

He was president of the:

  • Mechanic's Institute
  • the first cricket club in Victoria
  • Geelong Agricultural Society

and a director/trustee of:

and captain of the first volunteer regiment.[4]

Alexander Fyfe was one of the first gold diggers at Ballarat. He was secretary of the Anti-Gold License Committee[5] and contributed to legal expenses of the trial of Peter Lalor, the leader of the Eureka Rebellion[4]

Politics

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Fyfe was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council for Geelong in June 1854,[6] a position he held until the original Council was abolished in 1856.[1]

Fyfe was elected to the inaugural Victorian Legislative Assembly as one of the four members for Geelong in November 1856, a seat he held until resigning in November 1857 due to insolvency.[1]

Fyfe moved to Queensland where he purchased a pastoral property from P. F. MacDonald near Peak Downs[4] and became a pastoralist and auctioneer. He represented Rockhampton in the Queensland Legislative Assembly from 20 June 1870 to 24 November 1873.[2]

Latter life

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Fyfe returned to Melbourne around 1873 and died in Preston, Victoria on 2 May 1903.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Alexander Fyfe". Re-Member: a database of all Victorian MPs since 1851. Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  2. ^ a b Fyfe, Alexander; Government of Queensland. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  3. ^ Record information from https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/research-and-family-history/search-your-family-history Event:marriages Registration number2040 / 1854 Family name:FYFE Given name(s)Alexander Personal detail Spouse's family name:BAILIFF Spouse's given name(s)Jane Nicholson
  4. ^ a b c d "Death of Mr A Fyfe". The Morning Bulletin. 12 May 1903. p. 5. Retrieved 26 March 2015 – via Trove.
  5. ^ "Anit-gold license committee". Geelong Advertiser and Intelligencer. 14 September 1853. p. 2. Retrieved 26 March 2015 – via Trove.
  6. ^ "The Election. Declaration of the Poll". Geelong Advertiser and Intelligencer. 26 June 1854. p. 4. Retrieved 24 August 2014 – via Trove.

 

Victorian Legislative Council
Preceded by Member for Geelong
June 1854 – March 1856
With: Alexander Thomson 1854
James Harrison 1854–1856,
James Strachan 1854–1856
Original Council abolished
Victorian Legislative Assembly
New district Member for Geelong
November 1856 – November 1857
With: Charles Sladen
Charles Read
John Brooke
Succeeded by
Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by Member for Rockhampton
20 June 1870 – 24 November 1873
Succeeded by