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Results of the 1856 New South Wales colonial election

The 1856 New South Wales colonial election was to return 54 members of Legislative Assembly composed of 34 electoral districts with 18 returning 1 member, 13 returning 2 members, two returning 3 members and one returning 4 members, all with a first past the post system.[1] In multi-member districts, because each voter could cast more than one vote, it is not possible to total the votes to show the number of voters and voter turnout in these districts is estimated. 8 members from 6 districts were returned unopposed.[2]

Results by district

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Argyle

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Argyle [3]
Candidate Votes %
John Plunkett (elected) 182 52.9
John Chisholm 162 47.1
Columbus Fitzpatrick 0 0.0
Total formal votes 344 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 344 64.4

Polling was conducted on 31 March 1856. Plunkett served in the old Legislative Council as an appointed member. After failed attempts to win election for Sydney City and North Eastern Boroughs, Plunkett was elected to represent Bathurst (County) on the same day as winning Argyle. After attending the first sitting of Parliament representing both seats, and even attempting to use both votes in the ballot for Speaker, Plunkett resigned as MP for Bathurst (County) and represented Argyle. Sitting Legislative Councillor for County of Argyle was Charles Nicholson who did not contest the election.

Bathurst (County)

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Bathurst (County) [4]
Candidate Votes %
John Plunkett (elected) 210 54.0
James Bligh 179 46.0
Total formal votes 389 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 389 54.6

Polling was conducted on 31 March 1856. Both Bligh and Plunkett had served in the old Legislative Council, Bligh representing County of Bathurst and Plunkett as an appointed member. After failed attempts to win election for Sydney City and North Eastern Boroughs, Plunkett was elected to represent Argyle on the same day as winning Bathurst (County). After signing the attendance book at the first sitting as a representative of both seats, and even attempting to vote twice in the ballot for Speaker, he chose to represent Argyle and resigned as member for Bathurst (County).

Clarence and Darling Downs

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Clarence and Darling Downs [5]
Candidate Votes %
Clark Irving (elected) 193 65.9
Colin McKenzie 100 34.1
Total formal votes 293 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 293 46.1

Polling was conducted on 15 April 1856. Sitting Legislative Councillor for Pastoral Districts of Clarence and Darling Downs was Thomas Hood who did not contest the election but was appointed to the new Legislative Council.

Cook and Westmoreland

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Cook and Westmoreland [6]
Candidate Votes %
James Martin (elected 1) 321 39.5
Robert Jamison (elected 2) 303 37.3
John Arkins 189 23.3
Total formal votes 813 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 487 54.4

Polling was conducted on 4 April 1856. Martin represented Counties of Cook and Westmoreland in the old Legislative Council.

Cumberland Boroughs

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Cumberland Boroughs [7]
Candidate Votes %
William Bowman (elected) 129 28.2
Ralph Robey 124 27.1
William Redman 115 25.1
Robert Ross 90 19.7
Total formal votes 458 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 458 65.9

Polling was conducted on 8 April 1856. Bowman represented this seat in the old Legislative Council.

Cumberland (North Riding)

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Cumberland (North Riding) [8]
Candidate Votes %
John Darvall (elected 1) 442 28.7
James Pye (elected 2) 401 26.1
William Sherwin 376 24.4
Patrick Hogan 319 20.7
Robert Fitzgerald 1 0.06
Total formal votes 1,539 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 849 45.7

Polling was conducted on 4 April 1856. Both Darvall and Fitzgerald represented the County of Cumberland in the old Legislative Council.

Cumberland (South Riding)

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Cumberland (South Riding) [9]
Candidate Votes %
William Manning (elected 1) 833 38.7
Elias Weekes (elected 2) 576 26.8
Ryan Brenan 521 24.2
William Russell 220 10.2
Total formal votes 2,150 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 1,242 45.2

Polling was conducted on 9 April 1856. Manning had served in the old Legislative Council as an appointed member. Unlike other newly appointed Ministers, he did not have to resign and contest a ministerial by-election as he already held the office of Solicitor-General at the time of his election. Weekes was elected, but later won an appeal against his defeat in Northumberland Boroughs, choosing to sit for that seat and resign from this seat. The subsequent by-election was won by Brenan.

Durham

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Durham [10]
Candidate Votes %
Richard Jones (elected 1) 660 30.7
Samuel Gordon (elected 2) 550 25.6
William Arnold (elected 3) 380 17.7
Andrew Lang 349 16.3
Alexander Park 209 9.7
Total formal votes 2,148 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 842 58.51

Polling was conducted on 7 April 1856. Park had represented County of Durham in the old Legislative Council, while another representative in Charles Cowper contested Sydney City.

Eastern Division of Camden

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Eastern Division of Camden [11]
Candidate Votes %
Henry Osborne (elected 1) 657 33.5
John Marks (elected 2) 502 25.6
Charles Jenkins 398 20.3
George Pickering 176 9.0
David L. Waugh 136 7.0
James Shoobert 91 4.6
Total formal votes 1,960 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 980 66.3

Polling was conducted on 31 March 1856. Osborne had represented this district in the old Legislative Council.

Gloucester and Macquarie

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Gloucester and Macquarie [12]
Candidate Votes %
Thomas Barker (elected) 163 37.7
James Williamson 139 32.18
Joseph Andrews 130 30.1
Total formal votes 432 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 432 41.30

Polling was conducted on 10 April 1856. Barker served in the old Legislative Council as an appointed member. Sitting Legislative Councillor for Counties of Gloucester and Macquarie was Phillip Parker King who did not contest the election.

King and Georgiana

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: King and Georgiana [13]
Candidate Votes %
Peter Faucett (elected) 199 71.6
Isaac Shepherd 79 28.4
Total formal votes 278 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 278 43.9

Polling was conducted on 7 April 1856. James Chisholm, the member of the Legislative Council for Counties of King and Georgiana, did not contest the election.

Lachlan and Lower Darling

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Lachlan and Lower Darling [14]
Candidate Votes %
James Garland (elected 1) 134 37.6
William Macleay (elected 2) 129 36.2
John Hardy 63 17.7
Daniel Henry Thorn 30 8.4
Total formal votes 356 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 182 49.32

Polling was conducted on 19 April 1856. Macleay had represented Pastoral Districts of Lachlan and Lower Darling in the old Legislative Council.

Liverpool Plains and Gwydir

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Liverpool Plains and Gwydir [15]
Candidate Votes %
Gideon Lang (elected 1) 152 45.9
Francis Rusden (elected 2) 108 32.6
Augustus Morris 71 21.5
Total formal votes 331 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 184 33.3

Polling was conducted on 16 April 1856. Morris had represented Pastoral Districts of Liverpool Plains and Gwydir in the old Legislative Council.

Maneroo

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Maneroo [16]
Candidate Votes %
Daniel Egan (elected) unopposed  

Polling was scheduled to be conducted on 16 April 1856. Egan had represented Pastoral District of Maneroo in the old Legislative Council.

Moreton, Wide Bay, Burnett and Maranoa

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Moreton, Wide Bay, Burnett and Maranoa [17]
Candidate Votes %
Gordon Sandeman (elected) unopposed  

Polling was scheduled to be conducted on 17 April 1856. Sitting Legislative Councillor for Pastoral Districts of Moreton, Wide Bay, Burnett, and Maranoa was Richard Joseph Smith who did not contest the election.

Murrumbidgee

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Murrumbidgee [18]
Candidate Votes %
George Macleay (elected) unopposed  
John Hay (elected) unopposed  

Polling was scheduled to be conducted on 16 April 1856. Macleay represented Pastoral District of Murrumbidgee in the old Legislative Council.

New England and Macleay

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: New England and Macleay [19]
Candidate Votes %
Thomas Rusden (elected 1) 181 46.9
Richard Hargrave (elected 2) 162 42.0
John Dickson 43 11.1
Total formal votes 386 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 193 41.87

Polling was conducted on 17 April 1856. Rusden had represented Pastoral Districts of New England and Macleay in the old Legislative Council.

North Eastern Boroughs

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: North Eastern Boroughs [20]
Candidate Votes %
Edward Flood (elected) 138 66.0
John Plunkett 71 34.0
Total formal votes 209 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 209 58.7

Polling was conducted on 29 March 1856. Both Flood and Plunkett had served in the old Legislative Council, Flood representing this district and Plunkett as an appointed member. Plunkett had earlier contested Sydney City and was unsuccessful. After his defeat in this seat, Plunkett contested both Argyle and Bathurst (County).

Northumberland and Hunter

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Northumberland and Hunter [21]
Candidate Votes %
Alexander Walker Scott (elected 1) 821 27.1
William Piddington (elected 2) 706 23.3
Hovenden Hely (elected 3) 574 19.0
Henry Douglass 389 12.8
George Bowman 289 9.5
Walter Rotton 250 8.3
Total formal votes 3,029 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 1,180 50.7

Polling was conducted on 17 April 1856. Both Bowman and Douglass had represented Counties of Northumberland and Hunter in the old Legislative Council. John Plunkett was nominated to stand in this seat but after being elected to both Argyle and Bathurst (County) on 31 March, he withdrew his nomination.

Northumberland Boroughs

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Northumberland Boroughs [22]
Candidate Votes %
Bob Nichols (elected 1) 660 39.0
Bourn Russell (elected 2) 521 30.8
Elias Weekes 513 30.3
Total formal votes 1,694 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 1,034 62.4

Polling was conducted on 28 March 1856. Nichols represented this district in the old Legislative Council. Committee of Elections and Qualifications conducted a re-count and overturned the election of Bourn Russell and declared that Elias Weekes had been elected.[23]

Parramatta

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Parramatta [24]
Candidate Votes %
Henry Parker (elected 1) 310 30.2
George Oakes (elected 2) 303 29.5
James Byrnes 222 21.6
Andrew Murray 191 18.6
Total formal votes 1,026 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 550 72.7

Polling was conducted on 29 March 1856. Both Parker and Oakes had served in the old Legislative Council, Oakes representing Town of Parramatta and Parker as an appointed member.

Phillip, Brisbane and Bligh

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Phillip, Brisbane and Bligh [25]
Candidate Votes %
John Robertson (elected) 169 74.1
Joseph Docker 59 25.9
Total formal votes 228 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 228 53.3

Polling was conducted on 11 April 1856. William Dumaresq, the sitting Legislative Councillor for Counties of Phillip, Brisbane and Bligh, did not contest the election.

Roxburgh

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Roxburgh [26]
Candidate Votes %
William Lee (elected) 136 44.2
William Suttor 114 37.0
William Cummings 58 18.8
Total formal votes 308 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 308 43.8

Polling was conducted on 8 April 1856. Suttor had served in the old Legislative Council as the elected member for Counties of Roxburgh, Phillip and Wellington from 1843 to 1851, then as the elected member for Counties of Roxburgh and Wellington from 1851 to 1854. The sitting Legislative Councillor, Saul Samuel contested Wellington (County).

St Vincent

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: St Vincent [27]
Candidate Votes %
James Thompson (elected) 158 35.8
Richard Sadleir 149 33.7
William Roberts 135 30.5
Total formal votes 442 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 442 74.9

Polling was conducted on 10 April 1856. Sitting Legislative Councillor for Counties of Murray and St Vincent, Daniel Cooper contested Sydney Hamlets.

Southern Boroughs

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Southern Boroughs [28]
Candidate Votes %
Terence Murray (elected) unopposed  

Polling was scheduled to be conducted on 4 April 1856. Murray had represented this district in the old Legislative Council.

Stanley Boroughs

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Stanley Boroughs [29]
Candidate Votes %
Thomas Holt (elected 1) 320 32.6
John Richardson (elected 2) 316 32.2
Arthur Macalister 179 18.2
Frederick Forbes 167 17.0
Total formal votes 983 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 627 50.4

Polling was conducted on 7 April 1856. Richardson had represented this district in the old Legislative Council.

Stanley County

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Stanley County [30]
Candidate Votes %
Henry Buckley (elected) 304 74.3
William Dorsey 105 25.7
Total formal votes 409 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 409 52.3

Polling was conducted on 9 April 1856. Sitting Legislative Councillor for County of Stanley was John Dunmore Lang who did not contest the election.

Sydney City

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Sydney City [31][32]
Candidate Votes %
Charles Cowper (elected 1) 3,073 20.5
Henry Parkes (elected 2) 3,057 20.4
Robert Campbell (elected 3) 3,041 20.33
James Wilshire (elected 4) 2,901 19.4
John Plunkett 2,800 18.7
Thomas Duigan 89 0.6
Total formal votes 14,961 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 6,007 43.3

Cowper, Parkes, Campbell and Wilshire had been endorsed as a group by a public meeting to be elected to the four vacancies.[33] Parkes, Campbell and Wilshire all represented City of Sydney in the Legislative Council while Cowper represented County of Durham. There were no political parties at the time and the combination of candidates, pejoratively referred to by Plunkett as "The Bunch", was controversial.[34] Plunket, who had been an appointed member of the Council, campaigned on the slogan "plump for Plunket",[35] a reference to the voting practice of voting for a single candidate rather than the four candidates an elector was entitled to vote for.[36]

After his defeat in this seat, Plunkett unsuccessfully contested North Eastern Boroughs, before being elected for both Argyle and Bathurst (County). Plunket chose to represent Argyle and resigned as member for Bathurst (County).

Sydney Hamlets

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Sydney Hamlets [37]
Candidate Votes %
Daniel Cooper (elected 1) 867 40.9
Stuart Donaldson (elected 2) 688 32.5
Richard Driver 415 19.6
Merion Moriarty 150 7.1
Total formal votes 2,120 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 2,120 39.8

Polling was conducted on 11 March 1856. Both Donaldson and Cooper served in the old Legislative Council, Donaldson representing Sydney Hamlets and Cooper Murray and St Vincent.

United Counties of Murray and St Vincent

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1856 New South Wales colonial election:
United Counties of Murray and St Vincent [38]
Candidate Votes %
William Forster (elected) unopposed  

Polling was scheduled to be conducted on 5 April 1856. Sitting Legislative Councillor for Counties of Murray and St Vincent, Daniel Cooper contested Sydney Hamlets.

Wellington and Bligh

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Wellington and Bligh [39]
Candidate Votes %
George Lord (elected) 28 100.0
William Buchanan 0 0.0
Total formal votes 28 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 28 9.5

Polling was conducted on 16 April 1856. Sitting Legislative Councillor for this district Charles Wray Finch did not contest the election.

Wellington (County)

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Wellington (County) [40]
Candidate Votes %
George Cox (elected) 191 63.2
Saul Samuel 111 36.6
Total formal votes 302 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 302 50.9

Polling was conducted on 10 April 1856. Samuel represented Counties of Roxburgh and Wellington in the old Legislative Council.

Western Boroughs

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Western Boroughs [41]
Candidate Votes %
Arthur Holroyd (elected) 283 66.0
James Byrnes 146 34.0
Total formal votes 429 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 429 55.7

Polling was conducted on 29 March 1856. Holroyd had represented this district in the old Legislative Council.

Western Division of Camden

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1856 New South Wales colonial election: Western Division of Camden [42]
Candidate Votes %
John Oxley (elected) unopposed  
James Macarthur (elected) unopposed  

Polling was scheduled to be conducted on 31 March 1856. Macarthur had represented this district in the old Legislative Council.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 colonial election". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  2. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Election totals". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  3. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Argyle". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  4. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Bathurst (County)". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  5. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Clarence and Darling Downs". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  6. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Cook and Westmoreland". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  7. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Cumberland Boroughs". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  8. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Cumberland (North Riding)". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  9. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Cumberland (South Riding)". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  10. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Durham". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  11. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Eastern Division of Camden". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  12. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Gloucester and Macquarie". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  13. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 King and Georgiana". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  14. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Lachlan and Lower Darling". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  15. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Liverpool Plains and Gwydir". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  16. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Maneroo". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  17. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Moreton, Wide Bay, Burnett and Maranoa". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  18. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Murrumbidgee". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  19. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 New England and Macleay". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  20. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 North Eastern Boroughs". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  21. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Northumberland and Hunter". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  22. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Northumberland Boroughs". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  23. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Northumberland Boroughs Qualifications Committee". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  24. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Parramatta". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  25. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Phillip Brisbane and Bligh". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  26. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Roxburgh". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  27. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 St Vincent". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  28. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Southern Boroughs". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  29. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Stanley Boroughs". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  30. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Stanley County". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  31. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Sydney City". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  32. ^ "This city election". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 March 1856. p. 4. Retrieved 30 September 2019 – via Trove.
  33. ^ "Public meeting: Representation of Sydney". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 January 1856. p. 2. Retrieved 30 September 2019 – via Trove.
  34. ^ "Our Sydney "Bunch" of oligarchs". Freeman's Journal. 16 February 1856. p. 2. Retrieved 30 September 2019 – via Trove.
  35. ^ "Representation of Sydney". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 January 1856. p. 5. Retrieved 30 September 2019 – via Trove.
  36. ^ Cochrane, Peter (1 January 2006). Colonial Ambition: Foundations of Australian Democracy. Melbourne Univ. Publishing. ISBN 9780522853315.
  37. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Sydney Hamlets". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  38. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 United Counties of Murray and St Vincent". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  39. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Wellington and Bligh". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  40. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Wellington (County)". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  41. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 WesternBoroughs". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  42. ^ Green, Antony. "1856 Western Division of Camden". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
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