Francis Grayson

Francis Grayson
JP

Members of the opposition party Queensland Parliament 1909 - Grayson is standing on the right, rear row.
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Cunningham
In office
27 August 1904  9 October 1920
Preceded by Duncan Watson
Succeeded by William Deacon
Personal details
Born Francis Grayson
(1849-09-02)2 September 1849
Lurgan, County Armagh, Ireland
Died 27 July 1927(1927-07-27) (aged 77)
Warwick, Queensland, Australia
Resting place Warwick General Cemetery
Nationality Irish Australian
Political party Independent
Other political
affiliations
Ministerial, Opposition, Nationalist
Spouse(s) Jane Bell (m.1872 d.1930)
Occupation Shopkeeper
Religion Church of England

Francis Grayson (2 September 1849 – 27 July 1927) was a Shopkeeper and member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.[1]

Biography

Grayson was born at Lurgan, County Armagh, to parents John Grayson and his wife Jane (née Irwin) and educated at the Church of England School in Lurgan.[1] He left Ireland at age fourteen to come to Australia, arriving in Brisbane in 1864. Almost immediately he set out for the Darling Downs and began work at Glengallan Station which at the time was owned by the Deuchar family.[2]

In 1870 he took up a selection of his own and named it Silverwood. After five years there he moved to Warwick where he opened a general and produce store which successfully operated for the next 27 years. [2][2]

In 1872, Grayson married Jane Bell[3] and together had two sons and four daughters. He died in 1927[1] after suffering a short illness[2] and was buried in the Warwick General Cemetery.[4]

Political career

Grayson became an alderman on the Warwick Council in 1879 and, except for a three year break was on the council until 1905. He was Mayor on three occasions - 1892, 1896, and 1904.[2]

At the 1904 state elections, standing as a Ministerialist, Grayson defeated the sitting member, Duncan Watson for the seat of Cunningham in the Queensland Legislative Assembly.[5] He was later a member of the Nationalist, and ended up as an Independent. He retired from his seat at the 1920 state elections.[1]

References

Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by
Duncan Watson
Member for Cunningham
19041920
Succeeded by
William Deacon
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