George Macfarlan

George Macfarlan (1837/1838 – 9 October 1868) was a New Zealand Member of Parliament representing the Lyttelton electorate.

Professional career

Macfarlan was the only son of the Rev. George Macfarlan of Gainford, County Durham.[1] He was educated at Shrewsbury School before attending Trinity College, Cambridge,[2] where he obtained a "very high degree",[3] passing his final exams in 1860 as fourteenth wrangler.[1]

He moved to London to qualify as a lawyer, and was called to the bar by the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple in June 1863.[2]

Macfarlan came out to Canterbury, New Zealand in January 1864. He was in partnership with William Sefton Moorhouse, prior to Moorhouse being elected Superintendent for the Canterbury Provincial Council in May 1866 for the second time, with their office located in Cathedral Square.[4][5] After that, he was a solicitor with Macfarlan and Nottidge, also located in the central town square.[2] He was an occasional contributor to the Lyttelton Times.[3][6]

Political career
New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1867–1868 4th Lyttelton Independent

Macfarlan was elected in a 1 July 1867 by-election following the resignation of Edward Hargreaves. He represented the electorate for just over one year until his death.[7]

Death

He died at the Wellington Club in Wellington from a fever[8] at the young age of 30 years. He was buried at the Bolton Street Cemetery in Wellington. His funeral was attended by about 30 Members of both Houses of Parliament.[9][10] His grave, together with a large area of the Bolton Street Cemetery, was removed in the late 1960s / early 1970s to make way for the Wellington Urban Motorway.[11] Macfarlan was not married.[12]

References
  1. "Macfarlan, George (MFRN856G)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  2. "FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1868". No. 957. West Coast Times. 16 October 1868. p. 2. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  3. "Home Talk (From the Home News, 14th August)". Vol. 2, no. 94. Hawke's Bay Weekly Times. 19 October 1868. p. 254. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  4. Southern provinces almanac, 1865 (PDF). Christchurch: Ward and Reeves, Printers. 1865. p. 110. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  5. Southern provinces almanac, 1866 (PDF). Christchurch: Ward and Reeves, Printers. 1866. p. 70. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  6. Southern provinces almanac, 1868 (PDF). Christchurch: Ward and Reeves, Printers. 1868. p. 92. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  7. Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer. p. 122.
  8. "Latest Telegrams". The Star. No. 129. 10 October 1868. p. 2. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  9. "Details". Wellington City Council. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  10. "Local and General News". Wellington Independent. Vol. XXIII, no. XXIII. 10 October 1868. p. 4. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  11. "The grave of George M H R McFarlane, plot 1905, Bolton Street Cemetery". National Library of New Zealand. 1965–1969. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  12. "Lyttelton". The Star. No. 131. 13 October 1868. p. 3. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
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