John Lucas and His Contemporaries in the Fourth Parliament, 1860 - 1864
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University of Wollongong Research Online University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 2017+ University of Wollongong Thesis Collections 2018 Independent Voices: John Lucas and his contemporaries in the Fourth Parliament, 1860 - 1864 Kate Nielsen Matthew Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.uow.edu.au/theses1 University of Wollongong Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorise you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this work may be reproduced by any process, nor may any other exclusive right be exercised, without the permission of the author. Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. 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For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] Independent Voices: John Lucas and his contemporaries in the Fourth Parliament, 1860 - 1864 Kate Nielsen Matthew Supervisors: Professor Gregory Melleuish Associate Professor Diana Kelly This thesis is presented as part of the requirement for the conferral of the degree: Doctor of Philosophy This research has been conducted with the support of the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship The University of Wollongong School of Humanities and Social Inquiry December 2018 Abstract In 1966, Peter Loveday and Allan Martin published their book Parliament Factions and Parties: The First Thirty Years of Responsible Government in New South Wales, 1856-1889. They aimed to show how factions operated within the New South Wales Parliament during the colonial period of responsible government between 1856 and 1889. While Loveday and Martin’s work was challenged briefly at the time, that challenge was short-lived. It has since become the foundational theory regarding how colonial politics worked, and most political histories written since that time use the term ‘faction’ as a short-hand description for proto-party organisation that carries connotations of disapproval and disappointment. However, Loveday and Martin’s ideas are unhelpful when it comes to understanding how independent politicians behaved. John Lucas, who had a reputation as a fierce independent, did not fit their model. Using the first full parliament in which Lucas served – the Fourth (1860-1864) – this research initially aimed to determine how the behaviour of independents differed from that of their fellow politicians who were members of factions. Using a combination of prosopography, statistical analysis, and case studies, this thesis explores the ideals and practical demonstrations of political independence and the social construct of the nineteenth century gentleman to show that they are intimately linked. This research shows that factions very likely did not exist during the Fourth Parliament, and uncovered more complex ideas regarding independence and the nineteenth century politician. Instead of the factions that Loveday and Martin saw, this research proposes an alternative hypothesis – that the Fourth Parliament was comprised of politicians who considered themselves to be independent. i Acknowledgments There are so many people to thank for their help and support at the end of a PhD journey. My supervisors, Professor Gregory Melleuish and Associate Professor Diana Kelly, stepped in to help me finish at a time when the research appeared to be in jeopardy. Their kindness, support, high quality feedback, and belief in the validity and value of this research was instrumental in guiding me to the finish. The value of excellent supervisors to a PhD candidate cannot be overstated. My husband, Dr Christopher Matthew, has lived with this journey for seven and a half years. His willingness to give me the space and time I needed to research, to listen to my ideas, to challenge those ideas, and to read and provide feedback on my writing has been invaluable. A supportive partner is just as important as excellent supervisors to a PhD candidate. I would also like to thank Professor Carol Liston and Professor Timothy Rowse, who were supervisors in the early stages of this research and provided useful ideas that helped shape the thesis. Professor Rowse was also very supportive of my work in other areas during that period and I remain very grateful for that opportunity. There are so many others without whose help, friendship, and support this research would not have happened. I would like to thank Dr Mark Hebblewhite, who read one of the chapters and provided valuable feedback. I would like to thank Dr James Marland and Anthony Vorhauser for their unwavering support and belief in the project and in me as a researcher. I know it probably felt like I was not listening at times, but I was. I would like to thank Dr Lyndon Megarrity who has also maintained a steadfast belief that this research was worth doing, and that I could do it well. Also, Dr Reece Plunkett, who shared the story of her journey with me and provided a supportive ear when I needed it most. ii There are so many others – too many to mention – but you know who you are, and you have my heartfelt thanks. Anyone who showed interest in my research and cared about how it was going, please know that it mattered each and every time. I would like to dedicate this thesis to Marie Nina McConaghy, my grandmother, whose stories about John Lucas as I was growing up provided the initial spark to pursue this research. KM 2018 iii Certification I, Kate Nielsen Matthew, declare that this thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the conferral of the degree Doctor of Philosophy, from the University of Wollongong, is wholly my own work unless otherwise referenced or acknowledged. This document has not been submitted for qualifications at any other academic institution. Kate Nielsen Matthew 15 December 2018 iv Table of Contents Contents Abstract .................................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................... ii Certification............................................................................................................................................ iv Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 1. Sources and Methodologies ............................................................................................................. 15 Histories, biographies, and other sources ........................................................................................ 16 The primary sources .......................................................................................................................... 30 Methodologies .................................................................................................................................. 33 Prosopography .............................................................................................................................. 33 Individual biography ..................................................................................................................... 37 Which divisions are significant for this research? ......................................................................... 40 Analysing voting patterns ............................................................................................................. 41 2. The Fourth Parliament ...................................................................................................................... 52 Parliament demographics ................................................................................................................. 62 Ministries of the Fourth Parliament.................................................................................................. 68 Parliamentary procedure in the 1860s ............................................................................................. 70 Key issues .......................................................................................................................................... 81 The Robertson Land Acts .............................................................................................................. 82 The Legislative Council .................................................................................................................. 84 State aid to education ..................................................................................................................