David Buchanan (politician)

David Buchanan (1823 – 4 April 1890) was a barrister and politician in colonial New South Wales, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and later, the New South Wales Legislative Council.[1]

Buchanan was born in Edinburgh, Mid-Lothian, Scotland, the fifth son of William Buchanan, a barrister, and his wife Catherine, née Gregory.[1] Buchanan was educated at the Edinburgh High School.[2]

Buchanan emigrated to Australia in 1852,[2] and was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as member for Morpeth on 14 December 1860,[3] and represented East Macquarie, from 6 October 1864 to 1 August 1867).[3] He went to England in 1867, and entered at the Middle Temple in November of that year, being called to the bar in June 1869.[2] He then returned to New South Wales, and practised his profession,[2] being elected to the Legislative Assembly for East Sydney (3 December 1869 to 3 February 1872), and for Goldfields West (25 March 1872 to 12 October 1877).[3] Though defeated at 1879 Mudgee by-election,[2] the election was overturned by the Committee of Elections and Qualifications and Buchanan was declared duly elected in March 1879,[4] a seat he held until 7 October 1885.[3] Buchanan represented Central Cumberland from 15 May 1888 to 19 January 1889.[3]

As a politician Buchanan gained prominence by his sturdy championship of fiscal protection. He revisited England in 1886, and published a selection from his orations and speeches.[2] Having unsuccessfully contested Balmain at the general election in January 1889, he was nominated to the Legislative Council [2] on 27 February 1889, a position he held until his death.[3]

References

1. Rutledge, Martha. "Buchanan, David (1823–1890)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Melbourne University Press. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 19 November 2013 – via National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
2. Mennell, Philip (1892). "Buchanan, Hon. David" . The Dictionary of Australasian Biography. London: Hutchinson & Co – via Wikisource.
3. "Mr David Buchanan (1823-1890)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
4. "The Committee of Elections and Qualifications". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 March 1879. p. 5. Retrieved 10 October 2019 – via National Library of Australia.

 

New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Samuel Cohen	Member for Morpeth 1860–1862	Succeeded by Edward Close
Preceded by William Suttor	Member for East Macquarie 1864–1867 Served alongside: William Cummings	Succeeded by John Suttor
Preceded by Burdekin, Hart, Neale & Stewart	Member for East Sydney 1869–1872 Served alongside: King, H Parkes/Wilson & Martin	Succeeded by Neale, Macintosh, H Parkes & Samuel
Preceded by Walter Church	Member for Goldfields West 1872–1877	Succeeded by Hugo Louis Beyers
Preceded by Richard Rouse	Member for Mudgee 1879–1885 Served alongside: from 1880 Terry/Robertson & Beyers/Taylor	Succeeded by Robertson, Taylor & Browne
Preceded by V Parkes, Farnell & McCulloch	Member for Central Cumberland 1888–1889 Served alongside: Nobbs & Farnell	Succeeded by Nobbs, Farnell, Ritchie & Linsley