William Patrick Manning (1845 - 1915)

Born 18 Nov 1845 in Chippendale, New South Wales, Australia

Husband of Honora (Torpy) Manning — married 8 Aug 1868 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 20 Apr 1915 at age 69 in Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia

Biography

Notices

Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 - 1930), Wednesday 21 April 1915. ^[1] DEATH OF SIR WILLIAM MANNING Sir William Patrick Manning died at his home, "Arn," Wunulla Road, Rose Bay, yesterday, in his 69th year. For four years, from 1891-1891, he was Mayor of Sydney, and during his term in the City Council was largely responsible for the building of the Queen Victoria Markets, and for the widening of Moore Street. In 1893 he entered the Legislative Assembly as representative of South Sydney, and held the seat for three years. He was deeply interested in music, and had been president of the Royal Philharmonic Society at Sydney for over 20 years. In the commercial world Sir William Manning filled many important positions. Notably he was chairman of the Australian Bank of Commerce, and he was agent for Lord Rosebery's interests in Australia.

Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Wednesday 21 April 1915. ^[2] DEATH OF SIR WILLIAM MANNING. DISTINGUISHED PUBLIC CAREER. A distinguished member of one of the oldest Sydney families, in the person of Sir William Patrick Manning, died at his late residence, Arn, Wyuna-road, Rose Bay, yesterday. Following so closely upon the death of Sir Francis Suttor, Sir William Manning's death severs another of the few remaining links with the earlier civic, financial and political history of the State. Sir William Patrick Manning was a son of the late Mr. John Manning, one of the early colonists. He was born at Darlinghurst in 1846, and was, therefore, 69 years of age at his death. Although his health had been failing for the past six months it is only about three weeks since he gave up active participation in the commercial affairs of this city. He leaves a widow, Lady Manning, five sons and three daughters. The daughters are:- Miss Felice Manning and Miss Beatrix Manning, of Sydney, and Miss Edith Manning, of England. The sons are:- Messrs. William Ernest Manning, of Messrs. Andrews and Manning, solicitors; Henry Edward Manning, barrister-at-law; John Manning, solicitor: Frederick Manning (England), and Charles Manning, engaged in pastoral pursuits, at Longreach, Queensland. The deceased gentleman had given a number of the best years of his life to public service. In 1887 he contested an election for Bourke Ward to the City Council. He was elected, and held his seat for about 15 years. Four times during his aldermanic service he was selected by his brother-aldermen to preside over the city's affairs as Mayor, and it was during his last mayoral term, in 1894, that he received the honour of knighthood from her late Majesty Queen Victoria in recognition of his public services. His civic career will be remembered chiefly for the formation of Moore-street and the remodelling of Belmore Markets, both of which he carried out during his mayoralty terms. He was Mayor at the time of the great financial crisis in 1893, and his work on that occasion stamped him as one of the city's most capable financial men. In this connection it is worthy of note that he carried through, almost single-handed, the reconstruction of the old Australian Joint Stock Bank, now known as the Australian Bank of Commerce. His last trip to England was made for the purpose of convincing large Scottish shareholders that this bank could recover from the crisis with honour to itself. At 16 years of age, the deceased entered the head office of the firm of P. N. Russell and Co., and remained there for some years. He became the confidential administrator of the head of that Arm, and when the late Mr. P. N. Russell bequeathed £100,000 to found a school of engineering at the Sydney University, Sir William Manning attended to all the details of the bequest. His capacity for financial management will also be remembered in connection with his administration of the colonial affairs of the British firm of investors known as Billyard and Co. Here he was brought into contact with English investors such as Lord and Lady Sherbrooke, Lord Rosebery, and Lord Carnarvon. At the time of his death he held the power of attorney for Lady Sherbrooke and Lord Carnarvon in this State. Right up to tho hour of his death he retained a remarkable grip of many big financial concerns in which he was concerned as an administrator. During the late Sir William Manning's last mayoral term he come into much prominence because of the stand he took against the Dutch Government over the seizure of the Costa Rica packet in the Pacific by representatives of the Dutch Government. He took the matter up with the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and the result of his efforts was that the owners of the vessel were paid full compensation. Deceased was a man of commanding presence and speech. He served only one term in Parliament, succeeding the late Mr. J. M. Toohey in the representation of South Sydney, as a follower of the late Sir George Dibbs, then leading the old Protectionist party of the State. He was, however, well known on the public platform. He was an ardent Federalist at the time of the Federal Convention, and unsuccessfully contested the first election for representatives to the Commonwealth Parliament. He was very well known in the affairs of the Roman Catholic Church, in which also his wife and daughters take a lively interest, especially in connection with all charitable movements. He was appointed a Papal chamberlain by the late Pope, Leo XIII. He was on four occasions appointed as a Royal Commissioner by the State Government. For 24 years he was president of the New South Wales Philharmonic Society, during which he was very prominent as a patron of music. He only retired from this position a few months ago. Amongst other positions held by the deceased were those of chairman of directors of the Australian Bank of Commerce, director of the Mutual Life and Citizens' Assurance Company, Ltd., and of the Sun Fire Insurance Company, Ltd.

Sources

1. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/238831909
2. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28109683

• https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search
• Birth - Not found 22 Oct 2022 - [NSW BDM BC V126 63 / 1845] -
• Marriage - NSW BDM MC 741/1868 - Groom = MANNING, WILLIAM P; Bride = TORPY, HONORA SYDNEY
• Death - MANNING, WILLIAM P - NSW BDM DC 6649/1915 - F = JOHN, M = ANN - WOOLLAHRA.
• http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/manning-sir-henry-edward-7776
• Link - https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/GDNQ-759