A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of West Sydney on 8 January 1863 because William Windeyer resigned.[1] Windeyer was a member of the victorious NSW rifle team which had traveled to Melbourne for a rifle match. They were returning to Sydney on the City of Sydney, an iron steamship, when it struck rocks and sank at Green Cape.[2][3] While all passengers and crew survived, the Australian Dictionary of Biography states it affected Windeyer's mental and physical health which led to his resignation.[4] Windeyer's letter to the electors of West Sydney refers to the successful passage of the Lands Act,[5] the abolition of state aid to religion,[6] and the pursuit of his profession as a barrister.[7]
Dates edit
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 22 December 1862 | William Windeyer resigned.[1] |
| 24 December 1862 | Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.[8] |
| 6 January 1863 | Nominations. |
| 8 January 1863 | Polling day |
| 12 January 1863 | Return of writ |
Result edit
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geoffrey Eagar (elected) | 1,315 | 48.7 | |
| William Speer | 1,202 | 44.5 | |
| William Moffatt | 184 | 6.8 | |
| Total formal votes | 2,701 | 100.0 | |
| Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 | |
| Turnout | 2,701 | 41.8 | |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b "Sir William Charles Windeyer (1834–1897)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
- ^ "City of Sydney". Maritime Heritage. NSW Office of Environment & Heritage. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
- ^ "Wreck of the City of Sydney". The Argus. 10 November 1862. p. 5. Retrieved 8 November 2020 – via Trove.
- ^ "Windeyer, Sir William Charles (1834–1897)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
- ^ Crown Lands Alienation Act of 1861 (NSW) and Crown Lands Occupation Act of 1861 (NSW)
- ^ Grants for Public Worship Prohibition Act of 1862 (NSW)
- ^ Windeyer, W C (23 December 1862). "To the electors of West Sydney". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 1. Retrieved 8 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Writ of election: West Sydney". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 255. 24 December 1862. p. 2673. Retrieved 8 November 2020 – via Trove.
- ^ Green, Antony. "October 1863 West Sydney by-election". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 November 2020.