Sir James Lorimer | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Defence | |
| In office 18 February 1886 – 6 September 1889 | |
| Premier | Duncan Gillies |
| Preceded by | Frederick Sargood |
| Succeeded by | James Bell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1831-03-30)30 March 1831 Dumfriesshire, Scotland |
| Died | 6 September 1889(1889-09-06) (aged 58) |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse | Eliza Kenworthy |
| Children | Eleven |
| Residence(s) | Greenwich House, Toorak |
Sir James LorimerKCMG (30 March 1831 – 6 September 1889)[1] was an Australian politician and businessman. He was the first chairman of the Melbourne Harbor Trust and a Member of the Legislative Council in the Victorian parliament from 1879 to 1889.[2]
Lorimer was born on 30 March 1831 inDumfriesshire, Scotland, to merchant Thomas Lorimer and Catherine, née Walkin. He was educated atHaddon Hall Academy, and articled to a Liverpool softgoods firm which traded with Africa and America. He travelled to Victoria in 1853 on health advice and chose to stay. He married Eliza Kenworthy, the daughter of the United States consul in Sydney, on 4 March 1858, with whom he raised eleven children, ten of whom survived him.[2]
In 1869 he commissioned architectLeonard Terry to design a large Toorak mansion which he named 'Greenwich House'.[3]
He died of pleurisy on 6 September 1889, leaving an estate of £60,000, and was buried inSt Kilda Cemetery.[2]
Lorimer founded a merchant and shipping agency called Lorimer, Mackie & Co., in Victoria representing theWhite Star Line and later amalgamated withJohn Swire and Sons of London and Liverpool. He was appointed chairman of the local directors of theBank of Australasia (succeedingSir Francis Murphy) and was also a director of theBank of New South Wales and the Northern and Southern Insurance companies. Lorimer was a member of theMelbourne Chamber of Commerce, and elected vice-president in 1864 and 1867–68 and president in 1868–70. He was a foundation member and first chairman of theMelbourne Harbor Trust[4] supportingSir John Coode's appointment to provide advice on improving Melbourne's shipping facilities.[5] When theBerry government came to power in 1879, Lorimer was dropped from the Trust but rejoined as a representative for Melbourne merchants and traders.[2]
Lorimer was prominent in free trade politics, helping to form theFree Trade League, becoming its president in 1865. He was elected to theLegislative Council for Central Province in 1879, and after a redistribution in 1884, was elected unopposed forMelbourne Province.[2] In 1886, he was minister of defence under the Gillies–Deakin government. He was appointedKCMG when he attended theColonial Conference in London in 1887 withAlfred Deakin andGraham Berry.[6]
Lorimer was a member of theScots Church Committee of Management and supported the liberalCharles Strong in his proposal for the separation of Scots Church from thePresbyterian Church of Victoria, but did not join theAustralian Church.[2]
Lorimer Street inPort Melbourne which runs along the south side of theYarra River wharves is named after him.[7]
| Victorian Legislative Council | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member forCentral Province July 1879 – November 1882 Served alongside:James Graham 1879–82, Theodotus Sumner 1879–82, Frederick Sargood 1879–80 James MacBain 1880–82, William Hearn 1879–82 | District abolished |
| New district | Member forMelbourne Province November 1882 – September 1889 Served alongside:William Hearn 1882–88 James Service 1888–89, Cornelius Ham 1882–89, George Selth Coppin 1889 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Minister of Defence 1886–1889 | Succeeded by |
