William Perry (1835–1891) was a business man and politician in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Australia. He was a

Member of the Queensland Legislative Council Following are lists of members of the Queensland Legislative Council The Queensland Legislative Council was the upper house of the parliament in the Australian state of Queensland. It was a fully nominated body which first took office on 1 May ...

Early life

William Perry was born in 1835 in

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, the son of William and Louisa (née Dodd).

Business life

In June 1860, William Perry moved to

with his brother George to establish a hardware business; their brother Frederick later joined them. In August 1860, the Perry Brothers opened their business in Queen Street (where the Wintergarden Centre is in 2014). Business was successful and in 1865 they built new premises next door which they later extended back to Elizabeth Street. In 1876 his brother in law, Henry James Harcourt (1820-1909), also an Iron Monger, helped the business and "between the death of the late Mr. W Perry and the advent of his sons into the firm acted in a very responsible way in the business". His sister-in-law was married to Thomas Peate, of Smith, Peate & Co. Sydney.

Politics

William Perry was appointed as a life member of the

Queensland Legislative Council The Queensland Legislative Council was the upper house of the parliament in the Australian state of Queensland. It was a fully nominated body which first took office on 1 May 1860. It was abolished by the Constitution Amendment Act 1921, which to ...

on 22 September 1890. He served until his death on 11 June 1891.

Personal life

StateLibQld 1 82627 View from the Newstead residence of Folkestone, 1885

William married Ann/Anne/Annie (1834 - 1917), the daughter of Birmingham Brass founder, William Harcourt, at St Phillip's Church, in

on 22 February 1862. William Perry built the house

Miegunyah Miegunyah is a heritage-listed detached house at 35 Jordan Terrace, Bowen Hills, Queensland, Australia. It was built . It was also known as Beverley Wood. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. It is now home to th ...

Bowen Hills Bowen Hills is an inner north-eastern suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the Bowen Hills had a population of 3,226 people. Geography Bowen Hills is by road from the Brisbane CBD. Mayne is a neighbourhood within the s ...

(also then known as Newstead) as a house for his sons; Miegunyah was lower on the hill from his own home ''Folkestone''. In April 1891, William Perry purchased

Harlaxton House Harlaxton House is a heritage-listed villa at 6 Munro Street, Harlaxton, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1869 to 1870 to 1910s circa. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. History Harlaxton House is ...

Toowoomba Toowoomba ( , nicknamed 'The Garden City' and 'T-Bar') is a city in the Toowoomba Region of the Darling Downs, Queensland, Australia. It is west of Queensland's capital city Brisbane by road. The urban population of Toowoomba as of the 2021 C ...

as a summer residence after the death of its previous owner

Francis Thomas Gregory Francis Thomas "Frank" Gregory (19 October 1821 – 23 October 1888) was an Australian explorer and politician. Born in England, he emigrated with his family to Australia as a boy. He was the younger brother of the explorer and politician Augu ...

Later life

On 11 June 1891, Perry died suddenly at his home ''Folkestone'' at

aged 55 years. He was buried in

Toowong Cemetery Toowong Cemetery is a heritage-listed cemetery on the corner of Frederick Street and Mt Coot-tha Road, Toowong, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was established in 1866 and formally opened in 1875. It is Queensland's largest ceme ...

the following day (12 June 1891).

Legacy

Perry Park is named after William Perry. Perry had used the land as his family

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult mal ...

and

horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million y ...

paddock. The house Miegunyah that Perry built was added to the

Queensland Heritage Register The Queensland Heritage Register is a heritage register, a statutory list of places in Queensland, Australia that are protected by Queensland legislation, the Queensland Heritage Act 1992. It is maintained by the Queensland Heritage Council. As a ...

in 1992. Harlaxton House which Perry owned was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992.

References

External links

* —a description of the business that William Perry founded {{DEFAULTSORT:Perry, William Members of the Queensland Legislative Council 1835 births 1891 deaths Burials at Toowong Cemetery Businesspeople from Sydney 19th-century Australian businesspeople 19th-century Australian politicians