Charles Gordon O'Neill
Encyclopedia
Charles Gordon O'Neill was a Scottish-Australasian civil engineer, inventor, parliamentarian and philanthropist, and a co-founder of the St Vincent de Paul Society
in Australia
and New Zealand
.
and studied civil engineering and mechanics at the University of Glasgow
. He worked on the city's public works
for 14 years, rising to become chief assistant in the Public Works Office. He served as a captain in the Third Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers
, and was active in the Society of St Vincent de Paul, becoming secretary at Dumbarton (1851), president of the Superior Council of Glasgow (1863), and a member of the Council General in Paris. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1864.
He arrived in Otago in January 1864, where he was a Member of Parliament
for the Goldfields electorate in the Otago Region (elected on 26 February 1866 during the 1866 general election
; dissolution of the 4th New Zealand Parliament
on 30 December 1870), and then for the Thames electorate
(elected on 9 February 1871 during the 1871 general election; dissolution of the 5th New Zealand Parliament
on 6 December 1875).
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul
The St Vincent de Paul Society is an international Roman Catholic voluntary organization dedicated to tackling poverty and disadvantage by providing direct practical assistance to anyone in need. Active in England & Wales since 1844, today it continues to address social and material need in all...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Biography
He was born in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and studied civil engineering and mechanics at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
. He worked on the city's public works
Public works
Public works are a broad category of projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community...
for 14 years, rising to become chief assistant in the Public Works Office. He served as a captain in the Third Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers
Volunteer Force (Great Britain)
The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrated with the British Army after the Childers Reforms in 1881, before forming part of the...
, and was active in the Society of St Vincent de Paul, becoming secretary at Dumbarton (1851), president of the Superior Council of Glasgow (1863), and a member of the Council General in Paris. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1864.
Political career
He arrived in Otago in January 1864, where he was a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Goldfields electorate in the Otago Region (elected on 26 February 1866 during the 1866 general election
New Zealand general election, 1866
The New Zealand general election of 1866 was held between 12 February and 6 April to elect 70 MPs to the fourth term of the New Zealand Parliament. 13,196 votes were cast....
; dissolution of the 4th New Zealand Parliament
4th New Zealand Parliament
The 4th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand.Elections for this term were held in 61 electorates between 12 February and 6 April 1866 to elect 70 MPs. Parliament was prorogued in late 1870. During the term of this Parliament, two Ministries were in power...
on 30 December 1870), and then for the Thames electorate
Thames (New Zealand electorate)
Thames is a former New Zealand electorate, in the Thames-Coromandel District. It existed from 1871 to 1946.-Geographic coverage:The electorate is based on the town of Thames. At times, it covered the Coromandel Peninsula.-History:...
(elected on 9 February 1871 during the 1871 general election; dissolution of the 5th New Zealand Parliament
5th New Zealand Parliament
The 5th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand.Elections for this term were held in 68 European electorates between 14 January and 23 February 1871. Elections in the four Māori electorates were held on 1 and 15 January 1871. A total of 78 MPs were elected. Parliament was...
on 6 December 1875).