Joshua Thomas Bell (13 March 1863 – 10 March 1911) was an Australian
barrister
A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and ...
and politician.
Bell was the son of Sir
Joshua Peter Bell, and his wife Margaret Miller, née Dorsey and was born in
Ipswich, Queensland
Ipswich () is a city in South East Queensland, Australia. Situated on the Bremer River, it is approximately west of the Brisbane central business district. The city is renowned for its architectural, natural and cultural heritage. Ipswich pre ...
. Bell was educated at
Brisbane Grammar School
, motto_translation = Nothing Without Labour
, established = 1868
, type = Independent, day & boarding
, gender = Boys
, denomination = Non-denominational
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and
University of Cambridge, where he became president of the union.
Bell was admitted to the English bar and was a marshal on the Northern Assizes circuit in 1888. In 1889 Bell returned to Australia and a year later became private secretary to
Sir Samuel Griffith. In 1893 Bell was elected to the
Legislative Assembly of Queensland for the
electoral district of Dalby in which his family home,
Jimbour Homestead, was located.
He was to hold this seat for the rest of his life. Bell was elected chairman of committees in 1902 and in September 1903 joined the
Arthur Morgan ministry as minister for lands.
William Kidston succeeded Morgan in January 1906 but Bell held his old position in the new cabinet until November 1907, and was also minister for railways from February to July of that year. Bell was minister for lands in the second Kidston ministry from February to October 1908, and then home secretary until 29 June 1909, when he was elected speaker.
In 1901, Bell unsuccessfully contested the federal seat of
Darling Downs in Australia's
first federal by-election, but he was defeated by
Littleton Ernest Groom
Sir Littleton Ernest Groom KCMG KC (22 April 18676 November 1936) was an Australian politician. He held ministerial office under four prime ministers between 1905 and 1925, and subsequently served as Speaker of the House of Representatives fr ...
, the son of the original member.
Bell died at
Rakeevan
Beth-Eden is a heritage-listed villa at 85 Bank Road, Graceville, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Richard Gailey and built from 1888 to 1910s. It is also known as Rakeevan and Verney. It was added to the Queenslan ...
, his
Graceville residence on 10 March 1911 after a long illness.
He had married in 1903 a daughter of
John Ferguson, who survived him with a son and a daughter. Bell was accorded a state funeral which proceeded from
St John's Anglican Cathedral to the
Toowong Cemetery where he was buried next to his father.
References
Bibliography
*
* D. B. Waterson,
Bell, Joshua Thomas (1863 - 1911), ''
Australian Dictionary of Biography
The ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'' (ADB or AuDB) is a national co-operative enterprise founded and maintained by the Australian National University (ANU) to produce authoritative biographical articles on eminent people in Australia's ...
'', Volume 7, Melbourne University Press, 1979, p. 258. Retrieved 6 July 2009
Bell, Joshua Thomas — Brisbane City Council Grave Location Search
External links
* Joshua Thomas Bell entry o
Jimbour History Jimbour Homestead was the Bell family home for many years.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Joshua Thomas
1863 births
1911 deaths
Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Burials at Toowong Cemetery
Speakers of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Australian people of Irish descent