Alexander Campbell (Australian politician)

He was born in Relugas near Forres, Scotland, to farmer Donald Campbell and Janet née Ralph. A solicitor, he migrated to Sydney in 1838 and worked for a merchant firm until beginning his own business in 1840; he subsequently entered a partnership in 1842 as merchants and commercial agents. On 1 July 1842 he married Maria Martin, with whom he had four children; a second marriage on 6 October 1857 to Sarah Robertson Murray produced a further four children, while and third on 8 January 1873 to Harriet Hunt was childless.^[1]

Campbell unsuccessfully stood as a candidate at the by-election for the Legislative Council seat of Sydney Hamlets in February 1855.^[2] He did not contest the first election for the Legislative Assembly, but stood for Shoalhaven at the 1859 election, finishing well back in 3rd.^[3] He was finally successful at the 1860 Williams by-election.^[4] He served in the assembly for less than 9 months before parliament was dissolved and he did not contest the general election later that year.^[5]

In 1864 he was appointed to the Legislative Council. From 1882 to 1883 he was Postmaster-General in the third Parkes ministry. He resigned from the Council in 1890 and died at Woollahra on 8 November 1891(1891-11-08) (aged 79).^[5]