Maurice Charles O'Connell (1812 - 1879)

Born 13 Jan 1812 in Sydney, New South Wales (Australia)

Ancestors

Husband of Eliza Emily (Le Geyt) O'Connell — married 1835 in Jersey, Channel Islands

Died 23 Mar 1879 at age 67 in Brisbane, Queensland (Australia)

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Biography

Maurice O'Connell is Notable.

Sir Maurice Charles O'Connell was born on 13th January 1812 in Sydney, Colony of New South Wales (Australia), son of Maurice O'Connell and his wife Mary Putland nee Bligh, daughter of former Governor of New South Wales, Captain (later Admiral) William Bligh. ^[1] He left for Ceylon (Sri Lanka) with his parents in 1814 and in 1819 was sent to Europe for schooling. ^[2]

In 1828 Maurice joined the 73rd Regiment at Gibraltar and Malta but in 1835 raised and led a regiment of Irish volunteers in the Spanish Carlist wars, rising to general of brigade in the British Auxiliary Legion. Before embarking for Spain he married Eliza Emily le Geyt at Jersey. ^[2]

When the legion was disbanded, Maurice returned to England with several Spanish decorations and in June 1838 purchased a captaincy in the 28th Regiment. In that year his father was appointed to command the troops in New South Wales and on 6th December Maurice junior arrived in the Fairlie as assistant military secretary to his father. After the regiment sailed to India in 1842 he stayed in New South Wales and sold his commission in 1844. ^[2]

Maurice failed in a first attempt to win a seat in the Legislative Council but represented Port Phillip (later Victoria) from August 1845 to June 1848 and then became commissioner of crown lands for the Burnett District (later Queensland). Early in 1854 he became government resident at the new Port Curtis settlement (later Queensland). In August 1855 the appointment was criticised in the Legislative Council and a select committee chaired by Henry Parkes decided that the office was unduly expensive, that a police magistrate would have done as well and that O'Connell was not particularly suited for such a post. The office was abolished and he again became commissioner of crown lands. He financed a party which found gold near Port Curtis and was reappointed as government resident to cope with the rush, allegedly created by his own too-optimistic reports. While in Gladstone he acquired several squatting properties and developed a small copper-mine but in February 1860 his office was again abolished. He refused re-appointment as commissioner of crown lands and for five years vainly pursued a campaign for compensation as far as the Colonial Office. ^[2]

When the Colony of Queensland was created in 1859, Maurice was given command of the volunteers. He was also one of the original nominees to the Legislative Council and acted as minister without portfolio in the first Herbert ministry. When Sir Charles Nicholson resigned in August 1860, Maurice was elected president of the Legislative Council. He held the post until 1879 and acted ex officio as deputy to the governor four times. Knighthood had been proposed for him in 1864 but was not granted until 1868 when as administrator of the government he was host to the Duke of Edinburgh. ^[2]

Sir Maurice passed away of cancer whilst in Parliament House Brisbane on 23rd March 1879, leaving no children. He was 67 years of age. He is buried in the Brisbane General Cemetery, Toowong, Queensland. ^[3] His widow received a government pension. ^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Birth Index #13/1812 V181213 7 and 2641/1812 V18122641 1A
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} Gibbney, H J. O'Connell, Sir Maurice Charles (1812–1879), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University; accessed 27 Sep 2019
3. ↑ Queensland Death Index #B12915/1879