William Edward Nairn
William Edward Nairn (1812 – 9 July 1869) was an English-born politician in Australia, president of the Tasmanian Legislative Council. [1]
Born in Widcombe, Somerset, England, Nairn was the only son of Captain William Nairn and his wife Mary Ann. W. E. Nairn studied at Lincoln College, Oxford (B.A., 1833), and was granted a license to trade a schooner his father had purchased for trade on the Tasmanian coast.[1]
Nairn emigrated to Tasmania with Sir John Franklin,[2] arriving in Hobart in February 1837 aboard the Fairlie.[1] In June 1837 Nairn was appointed clerk in the Colonial Secretary's Office. He was made Secretary to the Board of Education in 1839.[2] He was elected to the Tasmanian Legislative Council, becoming its president in September 1859.[2] In September 1868 he took sick leave but did not recover. He died at Hobart on 9 July 1869, survived by his wife Maria, née Swan.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Nairn, William Edward (1812–1869)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: Australian National University. 1974. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- 1 2 3 Mennell, Philip (1892). "
Nairn, Hon. William Edward". The Dictionary of Australasian Biography. London: Hutchinson & Co. Wikisource
| Tasmanian Legislative Council | ||
|---|---|---|
| New seat | Member for Meander 1856–1869 |
Succeeded by Alexander Clerke |
| Preceded by Thomas Horne |
President of the Tasmanian Legislative Council 1859–1868 |
Succeeded by Frederick Innes |