Bolton Stafford Bird CMG (30 January 1840 – 15 December 1924) was an English-born

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

n Congregationalist clergyman, farmer and politician. Bird was born in Hazlerigg, Northumberland, the son of the local schoolmaster. In 1852 the family emigrated to Australia and began farming at Clunes, Victoria. In 1865 Bird was ordained in the Wesleyan Methodist Church, but in 1867 transferred to the

Congregational Church Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

minister Minister may refer to: * Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric ** Minister (Catholic Church) * Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department) ** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...

of the church at

Ballarat Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands (Victoria), Central Highlands of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resid ...

. In 1870 he took charge of several churches in the Avoca district. In 1874 he took over the church in Davey Street,

Hobart Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-small ...

, Tasmania, but resigned in 1877 due to ill-health and bought a farm near

Geeveston Geeveston is a small town in the south of Tasmania in Australia on the Huon River, south west of Hobart, making it Australia's most southerly administrative centre. The town takes its name from William Geeves, an English settler who was given ...

in the Huon district. He grew apples, which he began to ship to England, thus becoming a pioneer of the Tasmanian apple export industry. In August 1891, however, the

Bank of Van Diemen's Land Founded in 1823, the Bank of Van Diemen's Land was the first financial institution to be established in Van Diemen's Land. Affectionally referred to as the old bank, the Bank of Van Diemen's Land traded for 68 years before becoming the first maj ...

, with whom Bird held a mortgage, collapsed and he lost the farm, moving to a much smaller property at

Lunawanna Lunawanna is a small township on the western side of Bruny Island, Tasmania, facing the D'Entrecasteaux Channel. It is named after part of the Tasmanian Aboriginal name for Bruny Island, Lunawanna-alonnah, a nearby township about to its north be ...

on Bruny Island. In 1882, Bird was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly for

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People * Franklin (given name) * Franklin (surname) * Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class Places Australia * Franklin, Tasmania, a township * Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...

. In 1887 he became Treasurer in Philip Fysh's ministry, serving until Fysh's defeat in 1892. He then served as

Leader of the Opposition The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...

until 1894 and then Speaker of the House of Assembly until December 1896. He was Treasurer again under Sir Elliott Lewis from 1899 to 1903. From 1904 to 1909 he represented

South Hobart South Hobart is one of Hobart's inner suburbs. It is bound by Dynnyrne, Fern Tree, West Hobart and the Hobart City Centre. Landmarks South Hobart is home to many of the most beautiful homes in Hobart, including the classical Georgian residen ...

. In 1909 he was elected to the upper house, the Legislative Council, and retired in 1923. Bird was appointed

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III. ...

(CMG) in the 1920 New Year Honours.

Footnotes

References

Australian Dictionary of BiographyObituary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bird, Bolton Stafford 1840 births 1924 deaths People from Newcastle upon Tyne (district) English emigrants to Australia Australian Methodist ministers Australian Congregationalist ministers Methodist ministers 19th-century Congregationalist ministers 19th-century Methodist ministers Members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly Members of the Tasmanian Legislative Council Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Speakers of the Tasmanian House of Assembly Leaders of the Opposition in Tasmania Treasurers of Tasmania