Joseph Docker

Hon. Joseph Docker (1802 – 9 December 1884), was an Australian politician, member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.[1]

Joseph Docker, 1875 engraving

Docker was the second son of Robert Docker, of London, and Eliza (née Perry) his wife, was born in 1802, and became a surgeon in the service of the East India Company. He was married in April 1839 to Matilda, daughter of Major Thomas Brougham, H.E.I.C.S., of Penrith, Cumberland.[1]

Docker emigrated to New South Wales (Australia) in 1835 and established himself as a grazier in the Hunter Valley. He was appointed a member of the Legislative Council (upper house) in New South Wales[1] on 20 May 1856[2] after being defeated as a candidate for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Phillip, Brisbane and Bligh.[3] He was a member of the Council until 10 May 1861, and again from 16 December 1863 until 11 December 1884.[2]

He was twice Postmaster-General from January 1866 to September 1868 in the second ministry of James Martin and from December 1870 to May 1872 in Martin's third Ministry. Whilst holding office on the first occasion he introduced and carried through the Upper House Henry Parkes's Public School Bill in 1866. He was briefly Colonial Secretary in the last month of Martin's second ministry. Docker was the Representative of the Government in the Legislative Council on four occasions, in the first and second Martin ministries and in the third and fourth Robertson ministries. Docker was also Minister of Justice and Public Instruction in the third Robertson ministry and Vice-President of the Executive Council in the fourth Robertson ministry.[2]

Docker was one of the three Australian commissioners tasked by the Government of New Zealand with choosing a new capital for that country. Together with Francis Murphy (Victoria) and Ronald Campbell Gunn (Tasmania), he recommended for the capital to move from Auckland to Wellington.[4][5]

He died on 9 December 1884 (aged 81–82) in Sydney.[1][6]

References

Mennell, Philip (1892). "Docker, Hon. Joseph" . The Dictionary of Australasian Biography. London: Hutchinson & Co – via Wikisource.
"Mr Joseph Docker (1802–1884)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
Green, Antony. "1856 Phillip Brisbane and Bligh". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
Levine, Stephen (13 July 2012). "Capital city – A new capital". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
Cyclopedia Company Limited (1897). "Wellington Provincial District". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Wellington Provincial District. Wellington. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
Docker, E. "Docker, Joseph (1802–1884)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Melbourne University Press. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 20 October 2012 – via National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.

Political offices
Preceded by James Cunneen	Postmaster-General 1866 – 1868	Succeeded by Atkinson Tighe
Preceded by James Martin	Colonial Secretary Sep – Oct 1868	Succeeded by John Robertson
Preceded by John Hargrave	Representative of the Government in the Legislative Council 1866 – 1868	Succeeded by Robert Owen
Preceded by Daniel Egan	Postmaster-General 1870 – 1872	Succeeded by George Lloyd
Preceded by Robert Owen	Representative of the Government in the Legislative Council 1870 – 1872	Succeeded by Saul Samuel
Preceded by George Allen	Minister of Justice and Public Instruction 1875 – 1877	Succeeded by Francis Suttor
Preceded by Joseph Innes	Representative of the Government in the Legislative Council 1875 – 1877	Succeeded by George Lloyd
Dormant Title last held by Saul Samuel	Vice-President of the Executive Council Aug – Dec 1877	Succeeded by John Marks
Preceded by George Lloyd	Representative of the Government in the Legislative Council Aug – Dec 1877	Succeeded by John Marks

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[Mennell-1] Mennell, Philip (1892). "Docker, Hon. Joseph" . The Dictionary of Australasian Biography. London: Hutchinson & Co – via Wikisource.

[parl-2] "Mr Joseph Docker (1802–1884)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 15 June 2019.

[3] Green, Antony. "1856 Phillip Brisbane and Bligh". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2015.

[4] Levine, Stephen (13 July 2012). "Capital city – A new capital". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 14 May 2017.

[5] Cyclopedia Company Limited (1897). "Wellington Provincial District". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Wellington Provincial District. Wellington. Retrieved 14 May 2017.

[ADB_Docker-6] Docker, E. "Docker, Joseph (1802–1884)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Melbourne University Press. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 20 October 2012 – via National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.