James Nixon Brunker (28 April 1832 – 5 June 1910) was an Australian politician, Minister of Lands in theParliament of New South Wales.[1]
Brunker was born inPort Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia. He was the son of John Nixon Brunker, a wine and spirit merchant, and his wife Mary Ann,née McGreavy. He commenced articles as asolicitor's clerk, but did not complete them. In 1851 , moving to Maitland in 1851 where he established a butchery. The same year he married Elizabeth Hewlettnée Weiss and they would have 10 children. In 1856 he became astock and station agent, which in 1870 became a partnership withHenry Badgery and J E Wolfe, with branches in Newcastle and Sydney. The partnership dissolved and Brunker retained the Maitland business.[1]
Brunker was elected one of the inaugural aldermen of theMunicipality of East Maitland in 1862.[2] He was an active supporter ofHenry Parkes, nominating Parkes at the1863 East Maitland by-election,[3] and organising campaign meetings.[1] His business partner Badgery was elected to representEast Maitland at the1878 East Maitland by-election. Badgery successfully contested the1880 election for Monaro and Brunker was elected unopposed to replace him as the member for East Maitland, joining Parkes'Free Trade Party in 1887. He was re-elected unopposed throughout the 1880s and held the seat until 16 July 1904.[4] East Maitland was abolished as a result of the 1903 re-distribution following the1903 New South Wales referendum,[5] and Brunker stood as theLiberal Reform Party candidate for the new district ofMaitland which had largely absorbed East Maitland andWest Maitland, but was defeated.[6] On 12 June 1905 Brunker was appointed to theNew South Wales Legislative Council and served until his resignation on 26 June 1909.[7]
Brunker was appointedSecretary for Lands in thefourth Parkes ministry in August 1888, and again in thefifth Parkes ministry, retiring with his colleagues in October 1891.[8] He wasColonial Secretary in theReid ministry from 3 August 1894 to 13 September 1899,[7] and actingPremier during Reid's absence in England.[1]
Brunker was bankrupted in 1908 with his occupation listed as auctioneer.[9] He had a lengthy illness prior to his death inMaitland, New South Wales on 5 June 1910(1910-06-05) (aged 78), survived by his wife Elizabeth, a daughter, Mary Ann Elizabeth and four sons, James Henry, George William, Arthur Frederick and Ernest Septimus, 34 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.[10] The other five children had predeceased him.[1] Elizabeth died on 10 November 1916(1916-11-10) (aged 88).[11]
| Parliament of New South Wales | ||
|---|---|---|
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Secretary for Lands August 1888 – January 1889 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Secretary for Lands March 1889 – October 1891 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Colonial Secretary August 1894 – September 1899 | Succeeded by |
| New South Wales Legislative Assembly | ||
| Preceded by | Member forEast Maitland 1880–1904 | District abolished |
