Results of the 1891 New South Wales colonial election explained

The 1891 New South Wales election was for 141 members representing 74 electoral districts. The election was conducted on the basis of a simple majority or first-past-the-post voting system. In this election there were 39 multi-member districts returning 106 members. In these multi-member districts each elector could vote for as many candidates as there were vacancies. 7 of the 35 single member districts were uncontested. The average number of enrolled voters per seat was 2,166, ranging from Wilcannia (1,023) to Sturt (8,306).[1] Sturt was an anomaly, as enrolments had increased by 5,376 since the 1889 election, and the next largest electorate was Canterbury (4,676).[1]

Election results

Argyle

| |   | colspan="2" | hold 2 | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |  

Balmain

| |  | colspan="2" | gain 4 from | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |

Balranald

| |  | colspan="2" | gain 1 from | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1

The Bogan

| |  | colspan="2" | gain 1 from | rowspan="3" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1|-| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1|-

One of the sitting members, William Alison, did not contest the election.

Bourke

| |  | colspan="2" | gain 1 from | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | hold 2|-

Camden

| |  | colspan="2" | hold 2 | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1|-

Canterbury

| |  | colspan="2" | gain 2 from | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | hold 2The Elections and Qualifications Committee conducted a re-count in September 1891 which overturned the election of John Wheeler and declared that James Eve had been elected.[2]

Carcoar

| |  | colspan="2" | gain 1 from | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1

Central Cumberland

| |   | colspan="2" | hold 4 | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |  |-

East Macquarie

| |   | colspan="2" | hold 2 | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |  

East Sydney

| |  | colspan="2" | hold 2 | rowspan="3" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1|-| |  | colspan="2" | Member changed to from Walter Bradley won a seat at the 1891 East Sydney by-election and Edmund Barton held it at this election. George Reid whilst a Free Trader, did not support the Free Trade government of Sir Henry Parkes.

Eden

| |  | colspan="2" | hold 2 | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | 

Forbes

| |  | colspan="2" | gain 1 from and gain 1 from | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | 

The Glebe

| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1 | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | gain 1 from

Glen Innes

| |  | colspan="2" | hold 2 | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | 

Gloucester

The sitting member, Jonathan Seaver, unsuccessfully contested St Leonards because of his opposition to the leadership of Sir Henry Parkes.

Hartley

| |  | colspan="2" | win 1 | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)|-| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1

The Hastings and Manning

| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1 | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |  |-| |  | colspan="2" | gain 1 from

The Hume

| |   | colspan="2" | hold 2 | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |  |-

Illawarra

| |  | colspan="2" | gain 1 from | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | gain 1 from

The Macleay

| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1 | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | Member changed to from Otho Dangar whilst a Protectionist, supported the Free Trade government of Sir Henry Parkes.

Monaro

| |  | colspan="2" | hold 2 | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | 

Mudgee

| |  | colspan="2" | Member changed to from | rowspan="3" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1|-| |  | colspan="2" | gain 1 from John Haynes and Robert Jones whilst Free Traders, did not support the Free Trade government of Sir Henry Parkes.

The Murray

| |  | colspan="2" | hold 2 | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | 

The Murrumbidgee

| |  | colspan="2" | hold 2 | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |  |-| |  | colspan="2" | gain 1 from

The Namoi

| |  | colspan="2" | win 1 | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)|-| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1

Newcastle

| |  | colspan="2" | gain 2 from | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1James Curley had won a seat from William Grahame at the 1889 by-election. William Grahame regained a seat at the 1891 by-election following the death of James Fletcher .

New England

| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1, win 1 | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)|-| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1

Newtown

| |  | colspan="2" | win 1, gain 1 from | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)|-| |  | colspan="2" | hold 2

Northumberland

| |  | colspan="2" | hold 2 | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | gain 1 from

Orange

| |  | colspan="2" | gain 1 from | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1

Paddington

| |  | colspan="2" | hold 3 | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | Member changed to from Jack Want whilst a Free Trader, did not support the Free Trade government of Sir Henry Parkes.

Redfern

| |  | colspan="2" | hold 2 | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | gain 2 from William Schey (Protectionist) won a seat at a by-election in 1889 and retained it at this election.

The Richmond

| |  | colspan="2" | 3 Members changed to from | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | Thomas Ewing, Bruce Nicoll and John Perry whilst Protectionists, supported the Free Trade government of Sir Henry Parkes.

St Leonards

| |  | colspan="2" | hold 2 | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | gain 1 from Jonathan Seaver was the member for Gloucester, a staunch free trader who contested St Leonards because of his opposition to the leadership of Sir Henry Parkes.

South Sydney

| |  | colspan="2" | hold 2 | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1, gain 1 from

Sturt

The sitting member for Sturt, Wyman Brown (Protectionist), did not contest the election.

Tamworth

| |  | colspan="2" | hold 2 | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | 

The Upper Hunter

| |  | colspan="2" | gain 1 from | rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |-| |  | colspan="2" | hold 1

Wentworth

Joseph Abbott had been elected as a Protectionist however on his appointment as Speaker in 1890 he was listed as an independent.

West Sydney

| |  | colspan="2" | gain 3 from and gain 1 from | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | Adolphus Taylor did not contest the election.

Young

| |  | colspan="2" | 2 Members changed to from | colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |

See also

Notes and References

  1. 1891 . Turnout . 9 April 2020.
  2. News: Elections and Qualifications Committee: Canterbury . . 3 September 1891 . 29 September 2019 . 3 . Trove.