January 1863 West Sydney colonial by-election

A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of West Sydney on 8 January 1863 because William Windeyer resigned.[1] Windeyer was a member of the victorious NSW rifle team which had traveled to Melbourne for a rifle match. They were returning to Sydney on the City of Sydney, an iron steamship, when it struck rocks and sank at Green Cape.[2][3] While all passengers and crew survived, the Australian Dictionary of Biography states it affected Windeyer's mental and physical health which led to his resignation.[4] Windeyer's letter to the electors of West Sydney refers to the successful passage of the Lands Act,[5] the abolition of state aid to religion,[6] and the pursuit of his profession as a barrister.[7]

Dates
DateEvent
22 December 1862 William Windeyer resigned.[1]
24 December 1862 Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.[8]
6 January 1863 Nominations.
8 January 1863 Polling day
12 January 1863 Return of writ

Result
January 1863 West Sydney by-election
Thursday 8 January [9]
Candidate Votes %
Geoffrey Eagar (elected) 1,315 48.7
William Speer 1,202 44.5
William Moffatt 184 6.8
Total formal votes 2,701 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 2,701 41.8

See also

References
  1. "Sir William Charles Windeyer (1834–1897)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  2. "City of Sydney". Maritime Heritage. NSW Office of Environment & Heritage. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  3. "Wreck of the City of Sydney". The Argus. 10 November 1862. p. 5. Retrieved 8 November 2020 – via Trove.
  4. "Windeyer, Sir William Charles (1834–1897)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  5. Crown Lands Alienation Act of 1861 (NSW) and Crown Lands Occupation Act of 1861 (NSW)
  6. Grants for Public Worship Prohibition Act of 1862 (NSW)
  7. Windeyer, W C (23 December 1862). "To the electors of West Sydney". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 1. Retrieved 8 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Writ of election: West Sydney". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 255. 24 December 1862. p. 2673. Retrieved 8 November 2020 – via Trove.
  9. Green, Antony. "October 1863 West Sydney by-election". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
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