Robert Ramsay (16 February 184223 May 1882), was an Australian statesman and

Postmaster-General of Victoria The Postmaster-General of Victoria was a former ministry portfolio within the Cabinet of Victoria. The position was created in 1857, shortly after the colony separated from New South Wales. Upon Federation, Section 51(v) of the Constitution of ...

on two occasions in the 1870s.

Biography

Ramsay was a native of Hawick,

Roxburghshire Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh ( gd, Siorrachd Rosbroig) is a historic county and registration county in the Southern Uplands of Scotland. It borders Dumfriesshire to the west, Selkirkshire and Midlothian to the north-west, and Berw ...

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 ...

, but his parents emigrated to Victoria when he was a child of four, and he was educated at the Scotch College in

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 studied law at

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...

, and subsequently became a member of a well-known firm of solicitors in the city. He married in 1868 Isabella Catherine Urquhart, second daughter of Roderick Urquhart, of Yangery Park. In October 1870 entered the assembly for East Bourke in the Conservative and free trade interest. He was a member of the government of

James Goodall Francis James Goodall Francis (9 January 1819 – 25 January 1884), Australian colonial politician, was the 9th Premier of Victoria. Francis was born in London, and emigrated to Van Diemen's Land (later Tasmania) in 1847, where he became a busines ...

from 1872 to 1874. He was subsequently

(July 1874 to August 1875) in the administration of

George Kerferd George Briscoe Kerferd (21 January 1831 – 31 December 1889), Australian colonial politician, was the 10th Premier of Victoria. Kerferd was born in Liverpool, the son of G. B. Kerferd, a merchant (or Joseph Kerferd, a bookkeeper, and his wif ...

; he held the same office in conjunction with the ministry of education (October 1875 to May 1877) under Sir

James McCulloch Sir James McCulloch, (18 March 1819 – 31 January 1893), British colonial politician, was the fifth Premier of Victoria. Early life McCulloch was born in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was the son of George McCulloch, a quarry master a ...

; and for a short term in 1880 he was chief secretary and minister of education in the first administration of

James Service James Service (27 November 1823 – 12 April 1899), Australian colonial politician, was the 12th Premier of Victoria, Australia. Biography Service was born in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland, the son of Robert Service. As a young man James wor ...

. He died on 23 May 1882 at his home in

East Melbourne East Melbourne is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Melbourne local government area. East Melbourne recorded a population of 4,896 at the 2021 ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramsay, Robert 1842 births 1882 deaths Scottish emigrants to colonial Australia People from Hawick Melbourne Law School alumni People from the Colony of Victoria Australian solicitors Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly Chief Secretaries of Victoria 19th-century Australian politicians Ministers for Education (Victoria)