John Wheeler (Australian politician)

John Wheeler (7 December 1853 – 18 April 1915) was an Australian politician who was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1889 and 1891.

He was born in Sydney to sawyer Aaron Wheeler and Elizabeth Hawkins. He began work in 1870 for a coal company in Newcastle, eventually becoming a general manager. On 7 August 1878 he married Hannah Clarke, with whom he had seven children. He served as an alderman at Petersham, and was mayor from 1886 to 1890.[1]

At the 1887 election for Canterbury he was one of nine Free Trade candidates for the four seats of the district of Canterbury, but was unscuessful.[2] At the 1889 election there were only four Free Trade candidates, including Wheeler, and all four were elected.[3] For the 1891 election Wheeler was again one of four candidates nominated by the party, while a fifth candidate, James Eve, had the support of the local branch.[4] The election was close with only 105 votes separating Thomas Bavister elected 2nd and Eve in 5th place, five votes behind Wheeler.[5] Eve lodged a petition against the election of Wheeler.[6] The Elections and Qualifications Committee conducted a re-count which overturned the result and declared that Eve had been elected.[7][5]

Wheeler did not return to state politics, but was again an alderman at Persham Council and was mayor from 1912 to 1914. He died at Strathfield in 1915.[1][8]

References

1. "Mr John Wheeler (1853-1915)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
2. Green, Antony. "1887 results Canterbury". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
3. Green, Antony. "1889 results Canterbury". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
4. "Advertising". The Sydney Morning Herald (16, 609). New South Wales, Australia. 17 June 1891. p. 9. Retrieved 30 September 2019 – via Trove.
5. Green, Antony. "1891 results Canterbury". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
6. "Petition against the return of John Wheeler". New South Wales Government Gazette (414). 1 July 1891. p. 4977. Retrieved 29 September 2019 – via Trove.
7. "Elections and Qualifications Committee: Canterbury". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 September 1891. p. 3. Retrieved 29 September 2019 – via Trove.
8. "Late Mr John Wheeler". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 April 1915. p. 5. Retrieved 30 September 2019 – via Trove.

 

Civic offices
Preceded by William Lovel Davis	Mayor of Petersham 1886 – 1891	Succeeded by Llewellyn Jones
Preceded by R. A. Barry	Mayor of Petersham 1912 – 1914	Succeeded by Charles Henry Crammond
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by William Davis William Henson	Member for Canterbury 1889 – 1891 Served alongside: Carruthers, Hutchison/Bavister, Wilshire/Danahey	Succeeded by James Eve