Michael O'Connor (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Michael O'Connor was a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
from 1901 to 1904.
), Western Australia
on 11 November 1865, Michael O'Connor was the son of Daniel Connor
, a former convict who had become one of the wealthiest men in the colony
. His use of a different surname
to that of his father is believed to be an attempt to obscure his convict origins, which was at that time a substantial social stigma
.
As a youth O'Connor was a prominent cricket
and polo
player, and was captain of the Perth Polo Club. He was educated privately in Western Australia, then sent for further education in Ireland
, where he attended Clongowes Wood College
of Jesuits in County Kildare
, and Trinity College
in Dublin. O'Connor attained his medical degrees in 1889, and the following year returned to Western Australia. In 1891 he established a practice in Perth
. From 1893 he was the health officer for the metro district; he held the position during Perth's smallpox
epidemic
of April 1893. By 1896 he was senior physician at Perth Public Hospital (now Royal Perth Hospital
), and physician and superintendent at the Victoria Hospital in Subiaco
. In July of that year he married Beatrice Margaret Mary Forbes; they would have four children.
seat of East Province, but was unsuccessful. His decision to enter politics may have been influenced by his sister's husband Timothy Quinlan
, who had been a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
since 1890. On 24 April 1901, O'Connor was elected to the Legislative Assembly seat of Moore
. He held the seat until the election of 26 June 1904, which he did not contest.
and Stanley Brewing Company. Little is known of his later life. He died on 6 July 1940, and was buried in Karrakatta Cemetery
.
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
from 1901 to 1904.
Early life
Born in Newcastle (now ToodyayToodyay, Western Australia
Toodyay is a town located in the Wheatbelt region in the Avon Valley, 85 km north-east of Perth, Western Australia. Toodyay is connected to Perth via both rail and road.-History:...
), Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
on 11 November 1865, Michael O'Connor was the son of Daniel Connor
Daniel Connor
Daniel Connor was a convict transported to Western Australia, who became one of the wealthiest men in the colony.Daniel Connor was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland in 1831. Nothing is known of his early life, but on 20 June 1850 he was sentenced to seven years transportation for sheep stealing...
, a former convict who had become one of the wealthiest men in the colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
. His use of a different surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
to that of his father is believed to be an attempt to obscure his convict origins, which was at that time a substantial social stigma
Social stigma
Social stigma is the severe disapproval of or discontent with a person on the grounds of characteristics that distinguish them from other members of a society.Almost all stigma is based on a person differing from social or cultural norms...
.
As a youth O'Connor was a prominent cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
player, and was captain of the Perth Polo Club. He was educated privately in Western Australia, then sent for further education in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, where he attended Clongowes Wood College
Clongowes Wood College
Clongowes Wood College is a voluntary secondary boarding school for boys, located near Clane in County Kildare, Ireland. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1814, it is one of Ireland's oldest Catholic schools, and featured prominently in James Joyce's semi-autobiographical novel A Portrait of the...
of Jesuits in County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
, and Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
in Dublin. O'Connor attained his medical degrees in 1889, and the following year returned to Western Australia. In 1891 he established a practice in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. From 1893 he was the health officer for the metro district; he held the position during Perth's smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
of April 1893. By 1896 he was senior physician at Perth Public Hospital (now Royal Perth Hospital
Royal Perth Hospital
Royal Perth Hospital is an 855-bed teaching hospital located on the northeastern edge of the CBD of Perth, Western Australia . Royal Perth Hospital also has specialised rehabilitation facilities at Shenton Park.-History:...
), and physician and superintendent at the Victoria Hospital in Subiaco
Subiaco, Western Australia
Subiaco is an inner western suburb of Perth, Western Australia, situated to the north west of Kings Park. Its Local Government Area is the City of Subiaco.-History:Prior to European settlement the area was home to the Noongar Indigenous people....
. In July of that year he married Beatrice Margaret Mary Forbes; they would have four children.
Career
On 11 July 1899, O'Connor contested the Western Australian Legislative CouncilWestern Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
seat of East Province, but was unsuccessful. His decision to enter politics may have been influenced by his sister's husband Timothy Quinlan
Timothy Quinlan
Timothy Francis Quinlan, CMG was a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1890 to 1911, and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1905 to 1911....
, who had been a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
since 1890. On 24 April 1901, O'Connor was elected to the Legislative Assembly seat of Moore
Electoral district of Moore
Moore is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia.Moore has had three incarnations as an electorate. It its first incarnation, Moore was one of the original 30 seats contested at the 1890 state election....
. He held the seat until the election of 26 June 1904, which he did not contest.
Late life and death
O'Connor was widowed in December 1905. From 1907, he was a consulting physician to Perth Hospital. He also became a member of the Hospital Board, and was chairman of directors of the Emu BreweryEmu Brewery
The Emu Brewery was a brewery in Perth, Western Australia, which traced its history to the first decade of the colony. Founded in 1837 by James Stokes as the Albion Brewery, it was located beside the Swan River on a block bounded by Mounts Bay Road, Spring Street and Mount Street...
and Stanley Brewing Company. Little is known of his later life. He died on 6 July 1940, and was buried in Karrakatta Cemetery
Karrakatta Cemetery
Karrakatta Cemetery is a metropolitan cemetery in the suburb of Karrakatta in Perth, Western Australia. Karrakatta Cemetery first opened for burials in 1899, with Robert Creighton. Currently managed by the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board, the cemetery attracts more than one million visitors each...
.