Members of the Victorian Legislative Council, 1853–1856


This is a list of members of the Victorian Legislative Council, as appointed to the Council of 1853 or elected at the 1853 election. Members added in 1855 are noted in a separate section below.
From 1851 to 1856 the original Legislative Council was unicameral and consisted of Electoral districts.
From 1856 onwards, the Victorian parliament consisted of two houses, the Victorian Legislative Council and the Victorian Legislative Assembly.
NameTypeElectoral district Term in Office
Thomas Turner à Beckettnominee—1852–1856; 1858–1878
Andrew Aldcornnominee—1853
Joseph Andersonnominee—1852–1856
George AnnandelectedNorth Bourke1853–1855
William BurnleyelectedNorth Bourke1853–1856
William CampbellelectedLoddon1851–1854; 1862–1882
James Casselloffice-bearing nominee1853
Hugh Childersoffice-bearing nominee1852–1856
Andrew Clarkeoffice-bearing nominee1853–1856
George Ward ColeelectedGipps' Land1853–1855; 1859–1879
James CowieelectedGeelong1853–1854; 1856–1858
James Crokeoffice-bearing nominee1852–1854
John DaneelectedSouth Bourke, Evelyn and Mornington1853–1854
Edward Nucella Emmettnominee—1853
John FawknerelectedTalbot, Dalhousie and Angelsey1851–1869
John Fosteroffice-bearing nominee1853–1854
Adolphus GoldsmithelectedRipon, Hampden, Grenville & Polwarth1851–1853
John GoodmanelectedLoddon1853–1856
James Grahamnominee—1853–1854; 1867–1886
Augustus GreeveselectedCity of Melbourne1853–1856
Charles Griffithelected Normanby, Dundas and Follett1851–1852; 1853–1856
William Haineselected Grant1851–1852; 1853–1856; 1865–1866
James HentyelectedPortland1853–1882
Matthew HerveyelectedMurray1853–1865
William Highettnominee—1853–1856; 1857–1880
John HodgsonelectedCity of Melbourne1853–1860
Henry LanglandselectedCity of Melbourne1853
Henry MillerelectedSouth Bourke, Evelyn and Mornington1851–1866
William Mitchelloffice-bearing nominee1853; 1856–1858; 1859–1884
William MollisonelectedTalbot, Dalhousie and Angelsey1853–1856
Francis MurphyelectedMurray1851–1853; 1853–1856; 1872–1876
James MurphyelectedCity of Melbourne1853–1855
John MyleselectedGrant1852–1856
Mark NicholsonelectedBelfast and Warrnambool1853–1854
William NicholsonelectedNorth Bourke1852–1856
Patrick O'BrienelectedKilmore, Kyneton and Seymour1853–1856
John O'ShanassyelectedCity of Melbourne1851–1856; 1868–1874
James Frederick PalmerelectedNormanby, Dundas and Follett1851–1870
Edward Stone Parkernominee—1853–1854
Robert Pohlmanoffice-bearing nominee1851–1854; 1855–1856
John Carre Riddellnominee—1852–1856
Andrew Russellnominee—1851–1856
William RutledgeelectedVilliers and Heytesbury1851–1854
John SmithelectedCity of Melbourne1851–1856
Peter SnodgrasselectedKilmore, Kyneton and Seymour1851–1856
William SplattelectedWimmera1851–1854
William Stawelloffice-bearing nominee1851–1856
Frederick StevenselectedBelfast and Warrnambool1853–1854
James StrachanelectedGeelong1851–1866; 1866–1874
Alexander ThomsonelectedGeelong1852–1854
James ThomsonelectedRipon, Hampden, Grenville & Polwarth1853–1854
Thomas WilkinsonelectedPortland1851–1856
George WinterelectedVilliers and Heytesbury1853–1854
William Wrightoffice-bearing nominee1853–1856

Aldcorn resigned 24 November 1853; replaced by James McCulloch from 1 August 1854

Annand resigned July 1855; replaced by Thomas Embling, by-election Sep. 1855

Campbell resigned May 1854; replaced by Thomas Howard Fellows, by-election Sep. 1854

Childers was Auditor-General until 5 December 1853 replaced by Edward Grimes from 8 December 1853. Childers was Collector of Customs from 5 December 1853

Cole resigned May 1855; replaced by John King by-election Nov. 1855

Cowie resigned May 1854, replaced by James Harrison, by-election Nov. 1854

Croke resigned January 1854, replaced by Robert Molesworth from 4 January 1854

Dane resigned November 1854; replaced by Henry Samuel Chapman, by-election Feb. 1855

Emmett resigned September 1853; replaced by Andrew Knight on 6 September 1853; Knight resigned 8 March 1854; replaced by Charles Bradshaw on 1 August 1854

Foster resigned December 1854, replaced by William Haines as Colonial Secretary on 12 December 1854

Goldsmith resigned November 1853, replaced by John Thompson Charlton

Graham resigned July 1854, replaced by Donald Kennedy from September 1854

Haines resigned Dec. 1854; replaced by Horatio Wills, January 1855

Langlands was unseated; replaced by successful appealer Frederick James Sargood, Oct. 1853

Mitchell resigned November 1853, replaced by Charles MacMahon

James Murphy resigned Sep. 1855; replaced by Thomas Rae by-election Nov. 1855

Nicholson resigned May 1854; replaced by George Horne, by-election Sep. 1854

Parker resigned August 1854; replaced by Alfred Ross 12 August 1854

Pohlman resigned as nominee October 1854, elected for Ripon and Hampden, Grenville and Polwarth, January 1855.
Pohlman replaced by Charles Pasley in the Council on 16 October 1854

Rutledge resigned Mar. 1854; replaced by Claud Farie, by-election Apr. 1854, resigned Oct. 1885; replaced by James M. Knight, by-election, Dec. 1855

Splatt resigned Apr. 1854; replaced by William Taylor, by-election Sep. 1854

Stevens resigned Feb. 1854; replaced by Francis Beaver, by-election Mar. 1854

Alexander Thomson resigned Aug. 1955; replaced by Alexander Fyfe, by-election Sep. 1854

James Thomson resigned Feb. 1854; replaced by Colin Campbell, by-election 1854

Winter resigned Aug. 1854; replaced by William Forlonge, by-election, Oct. 1854

Members from 1855

In 1855, five new electorates were created, a total of eight elected members and one non-office bearing nominee were added to the Council. Nominations took place on 10 November 1855, Humffray and Lalor were elected unopposed. An office-bearing nominee was added 28 November 1855.
NameTypeElectoral district / PositionTerm in Office
Robert BensonelectedSandhurst1855–1856
Daniel CameronelectedOvens1855–1856
James Macpherson GrantelectedSandhurst1855–1856
John Basson HumffrayelectedBallaarat1855–1856
Peter LalorelectedBallaarat1855–1856
Duncan LongdenelectedAvoca1855–1856
John D. Owensnominee—1855–1856
Vincent PykeelectedCastlemaine1855–1856
Charles Sladenoffice-bearing nominee1855–1856
James Atkin WheelerelectedCastlemaine1855–1856