Francis Murphy

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To the Right Worshipful the Mayor of Melbourne... [from] the undersigned Inhabitants of Melbourne considering the Unsettled State of a portion of the Diggings, and the necessity measures for the Better PROTECTION OF THE CITY, and upholding the cause of Law and Order, hereby request your Worship to convene A PUBLIC MEETING... John Ferres, Government Printer, 05 December 1854. State Library of Victoria Collection (H141396).

Background

Francis Murphy died in 1891 aged 83, and was buried at Boroondara Cemetery on 01 April 1891. Buried in the same grave is Agnes Cruickshank Murphy aged 88 (29 January 1906).[1]

Goldfields Involvement, 1854

In December 1854 Francis Murphy was a Member of the Legislative Council.

Post 1854 Experiences

Obituary

DEATH OF SIR FRANCIS MURPHY.
Sir Francis Murphy, the first Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria, died at his residence, St. Kilda road, yesterday afternoon, at the age of 82 years, and the announcement of the sad event will be received with great regret, Though he has not been connected with public life for 15 years, Sir Francis was very well known in the city and colony, and has always been held in the highest esteem for the splendid service rendered to the community as Speaker for 15 years, during which time the Assembly passed through the most critical period of its existence. Since his retirement he has lived the life of a private gentleman. The feebleness of age crept upon him within recent years, but on the whole his health had been good up to within the last 12 months. A few weeks ago his condition became a cause of anxiety to his family, and his medical adviser, Dr. H. A. Embling, sought the counsel of Mr. T. N. Fitzgerald and Dr. J. Williams, with a view to giving him relief. About six weeks ago he was attacked by jaundice, from which, however, he partially recovered. On Wednesday last he developed serious symptoms of uræmia, became insensible, and practically remained in that state until death. Paralysis also come on, and he died quietly of exhaustion at half-past 4 yesterday afternoon. The funeral will very probably take place tomorrow afternoon, and the remains of the deceased will be interred in the Boroondara Cemetery.
Sir Francis Murphy was born and educated in the city of Cork. His father was, for 30 years, head of the department for the transport of convicts in the South of Ireland. The subject of this memoir was brought up to the medical profession. He studied at Trinity College, Dublin, and in due time was admitted a member of the Royal College of Surgeons, London. He did not practise in the mother country, but, in 1830, emigrated to New South Wales, arriving at Sydney in June of that year. Shortly afterwards he was placed by Governor Sir Richard Bourke on the staff of colonial surgeons,and was appointed to Argyle county. In that district he afterwards engaged in agricultural and grazing operations, a proceeding which caused him to resign his appointment under the Government. In 1840 he married the daughter of Lieutenant Reid, R.N., a settler in the same part of the country. For eight years he presided over the bench of magistrates at Goulburn, and on leaving the neighbourhood he was presented with a handsome testimonial in recognition of his public services.
In 1847 he came to Port Phillip and took up land in the Murray district His station was that of Tarawingi, and embraced some 50,000 50,000 acres There he continued to follow agricultural and pastoral pursuits until he was induced to enter public life.
At the first general election after the separation of the colony from New South Wales Dr Murphy was returned as member for the Murray distnct to the Legislative Council.
On the Chamber meeting in November,1851, he was appointed chairman of committees. This office he held during the first two sessions When the act for making and improving roads in the colony (16th Victorina No .40) came into operation Dr Murphy received the appointment of president of the Central Road Board This occurred in March, 1853, and caused the voidance of his seat in the Legislative Council, but there was no difficulty in the way of his reelection, and Dr Murphy continued to represent the Murray district until the introduction of responsible government During a portion of the third session he temporarily discharged the duties of Chairman of Committees in the absence of the late Mr P Snodgrass, and in the fourth session he acted for a fortnight as Speaker in the place of the late Sir James Palmer, absent through illness.
Dr Murphy proved throughout a very useful membet of the Legislature In July, 1852 he obtained the appointment of a select committee to inquire into the state of the law for the prevention of the disease in sheep known as the catarrh and scab, the result of whose investigations was the passing of the act 16th Vic, No 21, better known as the Scab in Sheep Prevention Act. During the same session he induced the Legislative Council to institute an inquiry (also by select committee) into the working of the systems for the instruction of youth then in existence, and receiving support from the state. That committee brought up an elaborate report, and a bill founded upon the report was prepared, but did not advance further than than the initial stage Next session the Government took up the matter, but from some cause or other the bill lapsed, and the recommendation of the committee for abolishing the dual system, and having one general board of education, was not adopted until the passing of the Common Schools Act 10 years afterwards. Dr Murphy took a prominent part in the discussions on the Constitution Bill. His speech was perhaps the best of those delivered during the debate on the motion for the second reading of that measure. It was evident from his remarks that he entertained a due appreciation of the importance of the subject He expressed the hope that the measure would not be a final measure, but that with a change of circumstances in the country there would be a change of constitution.
"We may create, and we may imitate," said he, "but if we fail to preserve intact that admirable System of balances and guarantees for wise and well considered legislation which forms the groundwork of the constitution of the British Empire, we shall most miserably deceive ourselves Those of us who regard monarchical principles with feelings of respect would not be discharging our duty if we did not endeavour to preserve those balances and guarantees which are equally the safety of the people and of the Crown."
Dr Murphy was a member of the commission appointed in June, 1864 to " inquire into the best mode of providing for the internal communication of the colony" He retained his connection with the Central Road Hoard until November, 1856.
On the inauguration of the constitution Dr Murphy was elected, without opposition, to represent the Murray Boroughs in the Legislative Assembly For nine years he was the representative of that constituency He was re-elected three times, and only on one occasion had he to encounter opposition At the general election of 1865 he transferred himselt to Grenville where he was returned at the head of the poll, and at the general election of January 1868 he was again returned under circumstances equally honourable.
On the meeting of the first Parliament in November, 1856, the deceased gentleman was nominated for the oflice of Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, to which (although opposed by the late Mr C J Griffith) he was elected by a majontv of 22 to 17 On the meeting of the second Parliament, in Octobei, 1859, he was re elected to the Speakership by a unanimous vote On four subsequent occasions the honour was renewed and, in every instance, save one without opposition In l860 the distinction of knighthood was conferred by the Queen upon the hon. gentleman.
The long term during which the office of Speaker was held uninterruptedly by one person furnishes sufficient tesimony to the ability with which the duties were fulfilled Certainly Sir Francis Murphy possessed, in an eminent degree, business capacity, patience, temper and tact as well as an intimate acquaintance with the law and practice of Parliament and with these qualifications accompanied bv a firmness invaluable when hon members, in the excitement of the hour were disposed to transgress the bounds of order, and a dignity which well became the custos morum of the popular branch of the Legislature, he was generally able to prevent the Chamber drifting into difficulties, whither the heat of debate was calculated to lead it Indeed, the position of the House with the public might have been compromised over and over again but for the dexterity of the Speaker A remarkable display under trying oircumstances, of the firmness adi dignity to which we have referred occurred in August, 1860. ::While the Nicholson Land Act was under consideration a riot took place in Parliament-yard. Reports were brought into the House of policemen wounded and of the mob being likely to force the doors. Several hon. members suggested that, under the circumstances, the House should adjourn, but Sir Francis Murphy, in impassioned tones, called upon the legislators present not to forget themselves, but to keep their seats, and proceed with the business before them until expelled by force.
Sir Francis Murphy continued to occupy the Speaker's chair till the dissolution of Parliament in 1871, when he was unseated by the electors of Grenville. Before the close of the preceding session Sir Francis had intimated to the late Mr. J. G. Francis who was Treasurer in the Ministry of the day, that it was his intention to retire from the Speakership and Mr. Francis had promised to ask Parliament to vote a gratuity of some kind to him for his services in the chair during 14 years. The M'Culloch Government was defeated at the general election, and the Ministry of Mr. (afterwards Sir Charles Gavan) Duffy took its place. At the beginning of the new session, Captain (afterwards Sir Charles) MacMahon was elected as Sir Francis Murphy's successor in the chair, and before the session closed Sir C. G. Duffy redeemed the promise of the former Treasurer, and moved that an annuity of £1,000 should be voted to Sir Francis Murphy for life, " in consideration of his valuable services as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly." In submitting, the motion to the House, Sir C. G. Duffy bore testimony to the "great ability, forbearance, and good temper" which the late Speaker had uniformly manifested in that capacity. Sir Francis Murphy, he said, made himself a master of Parliamentary law, and in the earlier period of Parliament, when it was extremely necessary that they should have the guidance of experience he performed eminent public service to the country by guiding the debates of Parliament in a way creditable to the character and honour of the House. The proposal led to a long debate, but the motion was eventually carried by six votes. When a bill was brought in to give effect to the resolution, much difference of opinion arose as to the manner in which the late Speaker's services were to be recognised. Eventually Mr. Harker, one of the members for Collingwood, moved that Sir Francis Murphy should receive a lump sum of £5,000-instead of an annuity. An Amendment, reducing the amount to £3,000 was carried, and a bill containing that provision was brought in and passed.
After the loss of his seat in the Assembly, Sir Francis Murphy retired for a while from political life, but in 1872 he became a candidate-for the representation of the Eastern Province in the Legislative Council, and was returned. He continued to sit in the Upper House for about four years, when he resigned his seat in order to visit Europe. Among the many public positions which Rir Francis Murphy held outside the walls of Parliament, he was an active member of the commission which sat at the close of 1861 to investigate the circumstances attending the disasters which overtook the Burke anil Wills exploring-expedition. He was chairman ot the committee of the league called into existence in 1863 by the attitude then assumed by the Imperial Government in reference to the transportation question. At the request of the New Zealand Government he acted, during the recess of 1864, as one of the commissioners deputed to determine the site of the future capital of that colony. He was a member of the commission of the Intercolonial Exhibition of 1866, the opening proceedings of which were under his presidency. He was also a great supporter of the volunteer movement, and held the rank of major in the force, the corps to which he was attached being the East Collingwood Rides. We may add that Sir Francis Murphy was for many years a member of the council of the University of Melbourne, a trustee of the Public Library, chairman of the National Bank of Australasia, and a local director of the Liverpool, London, and Globe Insurance Company.
Lady Murphy survives her husband, who leaves three sons and six daughters, all adults. They are Mr. F.R. Murphy, M.L.A., of Queensland ; Mr. A. D. Murphy, St. Kilda road; Mr. A. E. Murphy, of Queensland ; Mrs. Herbert J. Henty, Mrs. Hubert Miller, Mrs. W. Martin Burn and Miss Murphy, of Melbourne; Mrs. W. N. Waller, of Suffolk, England ; and Mrs. W. G., Neill, of Dunedin, New Zealand.[2]

See also

Further Reading

Corfield, J., Wickham, D., & Gervasoni, C. The Eureka Encyclopaedia, Ballarat Heritage Services, 2004.

References

  1. http://www.kewcemetery.com.au/FindGrave.aspx, accessed 24 March 2013 by Kathleen Gervasoni
  2. The Argus, 31 Mar 1891.

External links