Charles Dight (Australian businessman)

Charles Hilton Dight (1813 – 9 October 1852) was a miller and politician in colonial Victoria (Australia), member of the Victorian Legislative Council.[1]

For his nephew, the member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1898, see Charles Dight (New South Wales politician).

Dight was born near Richmond, New South Wales, son of John Dight, surgeon and farmer, and Hannah, née Hilton.[1][2] Charles and his brother John took up land near Albury, New South Wales around 1837.[1] The Dights then moved to Melbourne, John Dight senior on 7 November 1838 bought portion 88, Parish of Jika Jika, County of Bourke. Over the next few years, he constructed a brick mill there and began the production of flour.[3] The mill was called Ceres,[1] located at Dights Falls. Ownership of the land passed to Charles Dight and his brother John in November 1843. The mill produced flour and had small dynamos, so was the first Victorian hydro-electric plant.[3]

Charles Dight was vice-president of the Port Phillip Farmers' Society in 1851 and in November that year was elected to the inaugural Victorian Legislative Council as member for North Bourke. He held that seat until his death at Yarra Falls on 9 October 1852 (aged 38).[1][4]

Dight was married to Emma Maria, they had several children.[1] His brother Arthur was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the member for Windsor,[5] while his nephew, also called Charles Hilton, was subsequently elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the member for Singleton.[6]

References
  1. "Dight, Charles Hilton". Re-Member: a database of all Victorian MPs since 1851. Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  2. "The Dight Family". Singleton Argus. New South Wales, Australia. 20 May 1935. p. 4. Retrieved 10 March 2020 – via Trove.
  3. "Dights Mill Site". Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  4. "Family Notices". The Argus. 11 October 1852. p. 4. Retrieved 27 August 2014 – via Trove.
  5. "Mr Arthur Dight (1819-1895)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  6. "Charles Hilton Dight (1843-1918)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 May 2019.

 

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