William Hellyer (18218 January 1885) was an Australian solicitor and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council for one day.

Early life

Almost nothing is known of his early life. His father was Thomas Hellyer (1801–41) and his uncle was

Henry Hellyer Henry Hellyer (1790 – September 1832) was an English surveyor and architect who was one of the first explorers to visit the rugged interior of the north west of Tasmania, Australia and made the most comprehensive maps of the area up to that time ...

, surveyor, architect and explorer in Tasmania. On 20 January 1840 William married Margaret Gray at Bathurst.

Professional career

In 1854 Hellyer applied to be admitted as a solicitor; however, this was refused by the Full Court of Supreme Court as he had not been an articled clerk for the required five years. He was subsequently admitted. In 1861 the

Robertson Land Acts The Crown Lands Acts 1861 (NSW) (or Robertson Land Acts) were introduced by the New South Wales Premier, John Robertson, in 1861 to reform land holdings in New South Wales and in particular to break the Squattocracy's domination of land tenure. ...

were resolutely opposed by the Legislative Council and the Premier, Charles Cowper, appointed 21 new members, including Hellyer, to swamp the council. Before administering the oath to the new members, the President of the Council, Sir William Burton, announced his resignation and left the chamber, with other members following his example. In the absence of a presiding officer, the council was adjourned. As this was the final day of the final day of the five-year term of the council, Hellyer was unable to take his seat. He was not nominated to the reconstituted council.

Death

Hellyer died in January 1885 (aged 64), his wife Margaret predeceased him, dying on 20 November 1880 (aged 57). His son,

Thomas Hellyer Thomas Henry Hellyer (18405 April 1889) was an Australian politician and solicitor. He was born at Bathurst, New South Wales, Bathurst to solicitor William Hellyer, and Margaret Gray. On 25 April 1862 he married Rose Anne Parfitt, with whom h ...

, was also a solicitor, practicing from the same Sydney premises from 1885, and had been a member of the

New South Wales Legislative Assembly The New South Wales Legislative Assembly is the lower of the two houses of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The upper house is the New South Wales Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament Ho ...

from 1882 to 1884.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hellyer, William Year of birth unknown Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council 1885 deaths 1821 births 19th-century Australian politicians