(Sir) Charles MacMahon (10 July 1824–28 August 1891) was an 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...

n (Victorian) politician and for a short time Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police. MacMahon was born County Tyrone, Ireland, to a wealthy Irish family and served in the British army. He obtained a veterinary diploma in 1852, and soon left for Australia to join the gold rush

Victorian gold rush

The Victorian gold rush was a period in the history of Victoria, Australia approximately between 1851 and the late 1860s. In 10 years the Australian population nearly tripled.- Overview :During this era Victoria dominated the world's gold output...

. He arrived in Melbourne on 18 November 1852.

In 1853, he was appointed Assistant Commissioner of Police by William Henry Fancourt Mitchell

William Henry Fancourt Mitchell

Sir William Henry Fancourt Mitchell was an Australian politician. Mitchell was the son of the Rev. George Mitchell of Leicester, England....

. When Mitchell went to England in 1854-55, MacMahon became the acting Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police. He was Chief Commissioner from 1856 to 1858.

MacMahon had been a member of the Executive and Legislative Councils in 1853-56. From August 1861 to August 1864 he represented West Bourke in the Victorian Legislative Assembly

Victorian Legislative Assembly

The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...

, and was minister without portfolio in the O'Shanassy

John O'Shanassy

Sir John O'Shanassy, KCMG , Australian colonial politician, was the 2nd Premier of Victoria. O'Shanassy was born near Thurles in County Tipperary, Ireland, the son of a surveyor, and came to the Port Phillip District in 1839...

 ministry till June 1863. From 1866 to 1878 he represented West Melbourne and was Speaker of the Assembly

Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly

The Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly is the presiding officer of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria....

 between April 1871 and April 1877. In 1875 he was appointed K.B. for his services as Speaker.

The elections of May 1877 brought in a new Berry

Graham Berry

Sir Graham Berry KCMG , Australian colonial politician, was the 11th Premier of Victoria. He was one of the most Radical and colourful figures in the politics of colonial Victoria, and made the most determined efforts to break the power of the Victorian Legislative Council, the stronghold of the...

 ministry and change of Speakers. MacMahon again represented West Melbourne in the assembly from 1880 to 1886 and was Speaker again from 11 May to 29 June 1880. He retired from politics in 1886.

Charles was the son of William MacMahon

William MacMahon

William MacMahon was an Irish judge and member of a Limerick family which became prominent largely through personal influence over the Prince Regent.- Background :...

, an Irish judge, and Charlotte née Shaw. MacMahon was twice married; first, to Sophie Campbell, sister of a Canadian barrister who became a magistrate at Beechworth, Victoria

Beechworth, Victoria

Beechworth is a well-preserved historical town located in the north-east of Victoria, Australia, famous for its major growth during the gold rush days of the mid-1850s...

; and second, to Clara Ann, daughter of C. J. Webster of Yea. He had no children.