Sir Charles Kinnaird Mackellar (5 December 184414 July 1926) was an Australian politician and surgeon.
He served in the
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, often referred to as the upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of the Australian state of New South Wales. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in th ...
from 1885 to 1925, with the exception of a period of 50 days in 1903 when he filled a
casual vacancy
In politics, a casual vacancy (''casual'' in the sense of "by chance") is a situation in which a seat in a deliberative assembly becomes vacant during that assembly's term. Casual vacancies may arise through the death, resignation or disqualifi ...
in the
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
. He was the father of the noted poet
Dorothea Mackellar
Isobel Marion Dorothea Mackellar, (1 July 1885 – 14 January 1968) was an Australian poet and fiction writer. Her poem ''My Country'' is widely known in Australia, especially its second stanza, which begins: "''I love a sunburnt country/ ...
.
Early life
Mackellar was born in Sydney, the only son of Dr Frank Mackellar (a physician from
Dundee
Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
), and his wife Isabella, ''née'' Robertson (widow of
William McGarvie
William McGarvie (1810 – 1 April 1841) was a Scottish-born bookseller and newspaper owner, active in New South Wales.
J. V. Byrnes,McGarvie, William (1810 - 1841), ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'', Volume 2, MUP, 1967, pp 166–167. Retri ...
). Charles was educated at
Sydney Grammar School
(Praise be to God)
, established =
, type = Independent, day school
, gender = Boys
, religious_affiliation = None
, slogan =
, headmaster = R. B. Malpass
, founder = Laurence Hynes Halloran
, chairman = ...
and then moved to
Port Macquarie
Port Macquarie is a coastal town in the local government area of Port Macquarie-Hastings. It is located on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, about north of Sydney, and south of Brisbane. The town is located on the Tasman Sea co ...
district. After leaving school had spent several years working on the land.
[ About 1866] he studied at the University of Glasgow
, image = UofG Coat of Arms.png
, image_size = 150px
, caption = Coat of arms
Flag
, latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis
, motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita
, ...
, graduated MB and Ch.M. in 1871.[ He then returned to Australia and registered with the Medical Board of New South Wales on 25 March 1872][ and established a successful practice as a physician.][ Mackellar was honorary surgeon at the Sydney Infirmary and Dispensary 1873–77 (known as ]Sydney Hospital
Sydney Hospital is a major hospital in Australia, located on Macquarie Street in the Sydney central business district. It is the oldest hospital in Australia, dating back to 1788, and has been at its current location since 1811. It first rece ...
from 1881).[ In 1882 he was appointed the first president of the newly formed Board of Health, which brought him in touch with the poor of Sydney and the conditions in which they lived. Mackellar took much interest in his new position, and gave the new department a great start.][ Mackellar became very good friends with ]Normand MacLaurin
Sir Henry Normand MacLaurin, (known as Normand MacLaurin; 10 December 1835 in Kilconquhar, Scotland – 24 August 1914 in Sydney, Australia), was a Scottish-born physician, company director, Australian politician and university administrator.
...
, who joined the staff of Sydney Infirmary and Dispensary in 1873.[
In he developed '']Dunara
''Dunara'' is a heritage-listed residence located at Point Piper, in the Municipality of Woollahra local government area of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1882 to 1883. It is also known as Dorothea Mackellar birthplace. ...
'' in was his principal place of residence.
Political career
Mackellar resigned from his offices in August 1885,[ and on 8 September 1885 was nominated to the ]Legislative Council of New South Wales
The New South Wales Legislative Council, often referred to as the upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of the Australian state of New South Wales. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in th ...
. He was vice-president of the Executive Council in the ministry of Sir Patrick Jennings
Sir Patrick Alfred Jennings, (20 March 183111 July 1897) was an Irish-Australian politician and Premier of New South Wales.
Early life
Jennings was born at Newry, Ireland, the son of Francis Jennings, a well-known merchant in that town. He ...
from 26 February to 23 December 1886, and then Secretary for Mines until the government was defeated on 19 January 1887.[ But though a good administrator, Mackellar was not a party man, and possibly for that reason did not hold parliamentary office again. In 1903 Mackellar was appointed a ]Senator
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
when Richard O'Connor
General Sir Richard Nugent O'Connor, (21 August 1889 – 17 June 1981) was a senior British Army officer who fought in both the First and Second World Wars, and commanded the Western Desert Force in the early years of the Second World War. He ...
was made a Judge of the High Court. Mackellar found, however, that he had too many interests in Sydney to be able to spare the time to attend the sittings which were then held at Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
. He consequently opted not to stand for a full term at the 1903 federal election, and not long afterwards resumed his seat in the Legislative Council of New South Wales on 26 November 1903.[
Mackellar had been chosen as president of a Royal Commission to investigate causes of the decline of the birth rate; he was largely responsible for the report that was issued. He had for some time been interested in the care of delinquent and mentally deficient children and in 1902 was appointed president of the state Children's Relief Department. He published this year as a pamphlet, ''Parental Rights and Parental Responsibility'', which was followed in 1907 by a thoughtful short treatise, ''The Child, The Law, and the State'', an account of the progress of reform of the laws affecting children in New South Wales, with recommendations for their amendment and more humane and effective application.
In 1912 Mackellar visited Europe and the United States to study the methods of treatment of delinquent and neglected children, and issued a valuable report ''Treatment of Neglected and Delinquent Children in Great Britain, Europe, and America''][ on his return in 1913. He resigned his presidency of the state children's relief board in 1916. He still, however, retained his interest and in 1917 published an open letter to the Minister of Public Health on ''The Mother, the Baby, and the State'', and a pamphlet on Mental Deficiency, which shows his clear grasp of the subject was still apparent.][
]
Other interests
Mackellar succeeded his father-in-law, Thomas Buckland, as a director of the Bank of New South Wales
The Bank of New South Wales (BNSW), also known commonly as The Wales, was the first bank in Australia, being established in Sydney in 1817 and situated on Broadway, New South Wales, Broadway. During the 19th century, the bank opened branches ...
in 1896. Mackellar was later president of the bank for most of the years 1901–1923. Mackellar was also chairman of the Gloucester Estate Co., chairman of the Mutual Life & Citizens' Assurance Co. Ltd; he had been a trustee in 1911–14. He was also a director of Pitt, Son & Badgery Ltd, the Union Trustee Co. of Australia Ltd, United Insurance Co. Ltd, Royal Insurance Co. Ltd, Colonial Sugar Refining Co., Australian Widows' Fund, and Equitable Life Assurance Co. Ltd of which he was medical director. He was surgeon in the Volunteer Rifles from 1872; chairman of the medical section of the Royal Society of New South Wales
The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. The Governor of New South Wales is the vice-regal patron of the Society.
The Society was established as the Philosophical Society of Australasia on 27 June ...
in 1881; founding councillor and in 1883–84 president of the New South Wales branch of the British Medical Association; examiner in medicine at the University of Sydney
The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...
in 1889–1901; vice-president and in 1907–14 president of the Sydney Amateur Orchestral Society; inaugural vice-president of the Royal Society for the Welfare of Mothers and Babies in 1918; and a member of the Australian
Australian(s) may refer to:
Australia
* Australia, a country
* Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia
** European Australians
** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists
** Aboriginal Au ...
and Athenaeum clubs, Sydney.[
]
Personal life
He was knighted in 1912, and created a Knight Commander 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, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III.
It is named in honour ...
(KCMG) in 1916. He married in 1877, Marion, daughter of Thomas Buckland, who survived him with two sons and a daughter, Dorothea Mackellar
Isobel Marion Dorothea Mackellar, (1 July 1885 – 14 January 1968) was an Australian poet and fiction writer. Her poem ''My Country'' is widely known in Australia, especially its second stanza, which begins: "''I love a sunburnt country/ ...
, who became a famous poet and prose-writer. Mackellar's health and memory started to decline from 1923 and he died at Sydney, on 14 July 1926; he was buried in the Anglican section of Waverley Cemetery
The Waverley Cemetery is a heritage-listed cemetery on top of the cliffs at Bronte in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Opened in 1877 and built by R. Watkins (cemetery lodge, 1878) and P. Beddie (cemetery office, 1915 ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mackellar, Charles
1844 births
1926 deaths
Australian surgeons
Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council
Members of the Australian Senate for New South Wales
Burials at Waverley Cemetery
Australian Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
Australian Knights Bachelor
Australian politicians awarded knighthoods
Australian people of Scottish descent
Protectionist Party members of the Parliament of Australia
20th-century Australian politicians
Presidents of the Bank of New South Wales