William Rea (politician)

William Rea
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Rockhampton
In office 15 November 1878 – 21 September 1881 Serving with Thomas Macdonald-Paterson
Preceded by	New seat
Succeeded by	John Ferguson
Personal details
Born	William Rea 1816 Belfast, Ireland
Died	21 September 1881 (aged 64 or 65) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Resting place	Toowong Cemetery
Nationality	Irish Australian
Occupation	Storekeeper
Religion	Church of England

William Rea (1816–1881) was a stock and station agent and a politician in Queensland, Australia. He was a Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.^[1]

Early Life

William Rea was born in Belfast in 1816.^[2] He came to Australia in about 1841 where he worked in stock and station agency business with firms which had branches in New South Wales and New Zealand. Around the time of the separation of Queensland (circa 1859), he moved to Rockhampton where he established his own stock and station agency business with Mr Rankin.^[3]

Politics

Rea was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly in the Electorate of Rockhampton on 15 November 1878. He held the seat until his death on 21 September 1881.^[2]

Later life

Rea died on 21 September 1881 in his temporary residence at Martin Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. He had been unwell for a few days beforehand and, having failed to attend Parliament, was found dead apparently from heart disease. At the time of his death, he was writing a letter in which he said he felt he was dying and fell to the floor with his pencil still in hand.^[4][5] He was buried on 22 September 1881 in Toowong Cemetery.^[6]

See also

• Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, 1878–1883

References

1. "Part 2.19 - Alphabetical Register of Members of the Legislative Assembly 1860-2012 and the Legislative Council 1860-1922" (PDF). Queensland Parliamentary Record 2012-2015: The 54th Parliament. Queensland Parliament. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
2. "Rea, William". Queensland Parliament. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
3. "THE LATE WILLIAM REA, ESQ., M.L.A.". The Capricornian 7, (39) (Queensland, Australia). 24 September 1881. p. 1. Retrieved 28 February 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
4. "Death of Sir. Rea.". The Brisbane Courier. XXXVI, (7,394) (Queensland, Australia). 22 September 1881. p. 2. Retrieved 28 February 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "Search death historical records". Queensland Government. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
6. "Cemetery search". Brisbane City Council. Retrieved 28 February 2016.