Peter Finn

Peter Thomas Finn (1827/1828 – 1 April 1911) was a barrister in Victoria, Australia and Invercargill, New Zealand. For a short time, he was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for the electorate of Avoca.

Peter Finn
Peter Finn in courtroom dress
Member of the Victorian Parliament
for Avoca
In office
25 July 1870 – 25 January 1871
Personal details
Born
Peter Thomas Finn

1827/1828
Ireland
Died(1911-04-01)1 April 1911
Fitzroy, Victoria
Spouse(s)Rosa Helen Finn (née Champ)
RelationsHugh Finn (brother)
ProfessionBarrister

Biography

Finn was born in Ireland in either 1827 or 1828.[1] Hugh Finn was a younger brother.[2] He commenced his tertiary education at Queen's College, Galway, Ireland. He emigrated to Victoria in the 1850s and matriculated into the University of Melbourne in 1857, obtaining his BA in the following year and his MA in 1874.[1]

In 1859, he was admitted as a barrister to the Supreme Court of Victoria, practising in Melbourne and Ballarat. On 25 July 1870, he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly in a by-election following the resignation of James Macpherson Grant. He served from October 1870 until January 1871, when he was defeated by Grant at the 1871 election.[1] Finn had previously unsuccessfully stood for election in Avoca (1861). Subsequently, he was unsuccessful in Grenville (1871) and St Kilda (1872).[1]

Finn sailed to Invercargill in 1876 and had entered a law partnership with Richard Matthews by February 1877.[3] From 1880 until 1889, he was in partnership with Robert Henry Rattray.[4]

He married Rosa Helen Champ, daughter of Colonel Champ from Darra in Victoria, on 6 March 1878 at Invercargill.[1][5] She died on 13 June 1885, aged 37, and was buried at Invercargill's Saint John's Cemetery.[6]

Finn supported the election campaign of Patrick McCaughan, who successfully contested the 1879 election in the Riverton electorate,[7] and of Henry Feldwick, who was defeated in the Invercargill electorate.[8] He himself considered contesting the Wakatipu electorate in the Lake District, but stood back in favour of his brother,[9] who was successful.[10] He contested the 1881 election in the Hokonui electorate against Henry Driver and Cuthbert Cowan, in which Driver was elected and Finn came a distant last;[11] this marked the end of Finn's parliamentary ambitions in New Zealand, as he did not contest the subsequent elections in 1884 or 1887.[12][13]

Returning to Victoria in around 1890, he briefly practised law in Melbourne and Ballarat before moving to Geelong. His remaining years were spent in Meredith.[1] He died on 1 April 1911 at Fitzroy,[14] probably at St Vincent's Hospital. He was survived by one son who, at the time of Finn's death, lived in Perth.[15]

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References
  1. "Finn, Peter Thomas". Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  2. "Mr Peter T. Finn". Poverty Bay Herald. XXXVIII (12446). 4 May 1911. p. 5. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  3. "Untitled". Southland Times (2676). 6 February 1877. p. 2. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  4. Cyclopedia Company Limited (1905). "Legal". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Otago & Southland Provincial Districts. Christchurch: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
  5. "Marriage". Southland Times (3026). 9 March 1878. p. 2. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  6. "Cemetery search". Invercargill City Council. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  7. "Riverton Election". Southland Times (3489). 27 August 1879. p. 3. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  8. "Press Special Wire". The Press. XXXII (4373). 6 August 1879. p. 2. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  9. "Untitled". Southland Times (3471). 6 August 1879. p. 2. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  10. Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand parliamentary record, 1840–1984 (4 ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 196. OCLC 154283103.
  11. "Winton". Southland Times (4202). 17 December 1881. p. 4. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
  12. "The General Election, 1884". National Library. 1884. pp. 1–3. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  13. "The General Election, 1887". National Library. 1887. pp. 1–4. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  14. "Family Notices". The Argus. 3 April 1911. p. 1. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  15. "Mr Peter T. Finn". Poverty Bay Herald. XXXVIII (12446). 4 May 1911. p. 5. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
Victorian Legislative Assembly
Preceded by
James Macpherson Grant
Benjamin George Davies		 Member for Avoca
1870–1871
Served alongside: Benjamin George Davies		 Succeeded by
James Macpherson Grant
Benjamin George Davies
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