January 1863 West Sydney colonial by-election

A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of West Sydney on 8 January 1863 because William Windeyer resigned.[1] Windeyer was a member of the victorious NSW rifle team which had traveled to Melbourne for a rifle match. They were returning to Sydney on the City of Sydney, an iron steamship, when it struck rocks and sank at Green Cape.[2][3] While all passengers and crew survived, the Australian Dictionary of Biography states it affected Windeyer's mental and physical health which led to his resignation.[4] Windeyer's letter to the electors of West Sydney refers to the successful passage of the Lands Act,[5] the abolition of state aid to religion,[6] and the pursuit of his profession as a barrister.[7]

Dates
DateEvent
22 December 1862 William Windeyer resigned.[1]
24 December 1862 Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.[8]
6 January 1863 Nominations.
8 January 1863 Polling day
12 January 1863 Return of writ

Result
January 1863 West Sydney by-election
Thursday 8 January [9]
Candidate Votes %
Geoffrey Eagar (elected) 1,315 48.7
William Speer 1,202 44.5
William Moffatt 184 6.8
Total formal votes 2,701 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 2,701 41.8

See also

References
  1. "Sir William Charles Windeyer (1834–1897)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  2. "City of Sydney". Maritime Heritage. NSW Office of Environment & Heritage. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  3. "Wreck of the City of Sydney". The Argus. 10 November 1862. p. 5. Retrieved 8 November 2020 – via Trove.
  4. "Windeyer, Sir William Charles (1834–1897)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Melbourne University Press. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 8 November 2020 – via National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
  5. Crown Lands Alienation Act of 1861 (NSW) and Crown Lands Occupation Act of 1861 (NSW)
  6. Grants for Public Worship Prohibition Act of 1862 (NSW)
  7. Windeyer, W C (23 December 1862). "To the electors of West Sydney". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 1. Retrieved 8 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Writ of election: West Sydney". New South Wales Government Gazette (255). 24 December 1862. p. 2673. Retrieved 8 November 2020 – via Trove.
  9. Green, Antony. "October 1863 West Sydney by-election". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
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