15 September 1901(1901-09-15) (aged 59) Turramurra, New South Wales
Nationality
Australian
Spouse(s)
Matilda Elizabeth Macartney (married 1873–1880) Edith Solomon (married 1883–1901)
Parent(s)
John Kingsmill Abbott Frances Amanda Brady
Occupation
Politician
Sir Joseph Palmer Abbott, KCMG (29 September 1842 – 15 September 1901) was an Australian politician, pastoralist and solicitor.
Early life
Joseph Palmer Abbott was born on 29 September 1842 at Muswellbrook, New South Wales, to John Kingsmill Abbott, a squatter, and his wife Frances Amanda, née Brady. Abbott was educated at the Church of England school at Muswellbrook, moving to John Armstrong's school at Redfern at nine years of age, then to J. R. Huston's Surry Hills Academy and finally to The King's School, Parramatta.[1]
Upon completion of his education in 1857 he returned to the family station "Glengarry", near Wingen in the upper Hunter Valley, where his mother had gone from Muswellbrook in 1847 upon the death of his father.[1]
Work
Abbott was admitted as a solicitor in 1865, and practised law in Murrurundi, specialising in land cases. He was appointed a commissioner of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, for the district of Maitland. Founding a firm, Abbott & Allan in Sydney, Abbott established himself as an expert in property and land law.
He was elected to the Legislative Assembly as the member for Gunnedah on 29 November 1880.[9] He created the 1881 Hospital Acts Amendment Act, which led to him becoming an honorary governor of several medical facilities. In January 1883, Abbott became the Secretary for Mines in the ministry of Sir Alexander Stuart. After Stuart's resignation in 1885, Abbott became the Secretary for Lands in the ministry of George Dibbs.[2]
He was not a candidate for Gunnedah at the 1887 election, but was nominated for Wentworth without his consent and easily topped the poll at the election on 26 February 1887.[10] He served as the member for Wentworth until he retired from parliament on 11 June 1901.[2][10]
He was one of the free traders turned protectionists in opposition to the Free Trade Party led by Sir Henry Parkes and was briefly the leader of the Opposition for the Protectionist Party from March 1887.[11] Abbott resigned as leader in May 1887 as he supported Parkes' plan to reform the standing orders of the Legislative Assembly, against the views of his followers.[1][12] He was nominated as a Protectionist candidate for East Sydney at the 1889 election, however he had been elected unopposed for Wentworth on the same day and the Free Trade Party won all four seats.[13]
Abbott was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in 1890 and had a reputation as an authority on parliamentary procedure. He also imposed dignified control over the formerly unruly Assembly. He resigned the Speakership in 1900.
In 1873, at West Maitland, Abbott married Matilda Elizabeth (née Macartney) with whom he had two sons, John Henry (1874–1953) and Macartney (Mac) (1877–1960) and a daughter. Matilda died in 1880. In 1883, at East Maitland, he married Edith (née Solomon); they had one son, Joseph Palmer (Joe) (1891–1965) and three daughters.
Abbott lived for a time in Tarella, an Italianate mansion in Amherst Street, Cammeray, which he built c. 1886. Palmer Street in Cammeray is named after him.[19] He died on 15 September 1901 (aged 59), and was buried in Waverley Cemetery.[1][2]