Peter Faucett
Encyclopedia
Peter Faucett was an Australian barrister, jurist and politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
between 1888 and 1894 and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
between 1856 and 1865. He held the position of Solicitor-General in the first government of James Martin
.
and subsequently studied law. He was called to the Irish Bar in 1845 and emigrated to Sydney in 1852 where he established a large, private legal practice.
which was elected after the establishment of responsible self-government in 1856. He was elected as the member for King and Georgiana
and retained the seat, unopposed, at the 1858 colonial election. Faucett was not a candidate at the 1859 election and was an unsuccessful candidate at the 1859 East Maitland by-election caused by the resignation of Joseph Chambers who had accepted a position as Crown Prosecutor in the Western Districts of New South Wales. Faucett was also unsuccessful at a ministerial by-election for the four member seat of East Sydney
in November 1859 but eventually re-entered parliament as the member for that seat after winning a 1860 by-election caused by the resignation of Charles Cowper
. However he was subsequently defeated at the general election held later that year. Faucett again entered parliament as the member for Yass Plains
at a 1861 by-election caused by the resignation, due to ill-health of the incumbent Henry O'Brien. He retained the seat until his resignation from the Assembly in 1865 to accept an appointment to the bench of the New South Wales Supreme Court. After retiring from the bench in 1888 he accepted a life appointment to the Legislative Council, which he retained until his death. Faucett was a founder of St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney
and St John's College, University of Sydney
.
. It has been said that his career in public office was unspectacular but he had an earnest desire to see justice done and was a "plain-spoken, sober-sided, solid man".
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
between 1888 and 1894 and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
between 1856 and 1865. He held the position of Solicitor-General in the first government of James Martin
James Martin (Australian politician)
Sir James Martin, KCB, QC was three times Premier of New South Wales, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales from 1873 to 1886.-Early career:...
.
Early life
Faucett was the son of a Dublin blacksmith. He was educated at Trinity CollegeTrinity 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...
and subsequently studied law. He was called to the Irish Bar in 1845 and emigrated to Sydney in 1852 where he established a large, private legal practice.
State Parliament
Faucett was as a member of the first New South Wales Legislative AssemblyNew South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
which was elected after the establishment of responsible self-government in 1856. He was elected as the member for King and Georgiana
Electoral district of King and Georgiana
King and Georgiana was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1856 to 1859, after King and Georgiana counties, including Yass and Taralga. Its only member was Peter Faucett. It was largely replaced by the electoral district of Yass Plains...
and retained the seat, unopposed, at the 1858 colonial election. Faucett was not a candidate at the 1859 election and was an unsuccessful candidate at the 1859 East Maitland by-election caused by the resignation of Joseph Chambers who had accepted a position as Crown Prosecutor in the Western Districts of New South Wales. Faucett was also unsuccessful at a ministerial by-election for the four member seat of East Sydney
Electoral district of East Sydney
East Sydney was an electoral district for the Legislative Assembly in the Australian State of New South Wales created in 1859 from part of the electoral district of Sydney, covering the eastern part of the current Sydney central business district, Woolloomooloo, Potts Point, Elizabeth Bay and...
in November 1859 but eventually re-entered parliament as the member for that seat after winning a 1860 by-election caused by the resignation of Charles Cowper
Charles Cowper
Sir Charles Cowper, KCMG was an Australian politician and the Premier of New South Wales on five different occasions from 1856 to 1870....
. However he was subsequently defeated at the general election held later that year. Faucett again entered parliament as the member for Yass Plains
Electoral district of Yass Plains
Yass Plains was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales between 1859 and 1894. It largely replaced the electoral district of King and Georgiana. It was renamed Yass in 1894.-Members for Yass Plains:...
at a 1861 by-election caused by the resignation, due to ill-health of the incumbent Henry O'Brien. He retained the seat until his resignation from the Assembly in 1865 to accept an appointment to the bench of the New South Wales Supreme Court. After retiring from the bench in 1888 he accepted a life appointment to the Legislative Council, which he retained until his death. Faucett was a founder of St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney
St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney
St Vincent's Public Hospital, Sydney is located in the inner city suburb of Darlinghurst. Though part of the New South Wales state public health system it remains under the auspices of the Sisters of Charity.-History:...
and St John's College, University of Sydney
St John's College, University of Sydney
]St John's College, or the College of St John the Evangelist, is a residential College within the University of Sydney.Established in 1857, the College of St John the Evangelist is the oldest Roman Catholic university college and second-oldest university college in Australia, and is one of the...
.
Government
Faucett's only ministerial appointment was as Solicitor-General in the first government of James MartinJames Martin (Australian politician)
Sir James Martin, KCB, QC was three times Premier of New South Wales, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales from 1873 to 1886.-Early career:...
. It has been said that his career in public office was unspectacular but he had an earnest desire to see justice done and was a "plain-spoken, sober-sided, solid man".