Edward Charles Close
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Edward Charles Close | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 March 1790 |
| Died | 7 May 1866 (aged 76) Morpeth, New South Wales, Australia |
| Resting place | Anglican Church of St James, Morpeth |
| Party | None |
| Profession | soldier, civil engineer, local government official, magistrate |
| Awards | Peninsular medal[1] |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1808-1822 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit | 48th Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Peninsular War |
Edward Charles Close (Senior) (12 March 1790 – 7 May 1866)[2] was a British soldier, engineer, New South Wales colonial magistrate, member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, and early European settler in Morpeth.[3][4] He was born at Rangamati, British India (in what is now Bangladesh) and was the only child of merchant Edward and Marianne Collinson, daughter of Michael Collinson.[5] He accompanied his mother to England when she went there following his father's death. They settled with Marianne's brother Charles Streynsham Collinson on his estate at the Chantry, Ipswich.[6]
Enlisted in the army in 1808, he served in the Peninsular War as lieutenant in the 48th Regiment.[5]
He arrived in New South Wales on the 3rd of August 1817 on the Matilda.[5] Close was transferred to Newcastle where he was acting engineer from 1821 to 1822.[2]
On 27 September 1821 at St John's Church, Parramatta he married Sophia Susannah Palmer, daughter of John Palmer.[5] In 1822 he resigned from the army to settle in a 2,560 acre property in Morpeth.[5]
In 1829 he was appointed to the Legislative Council, however he found membership of the council to be a burden, both in expense and time and he resigned with effect from 1838.[3]
Close's son, Edward Charles Close junior, was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.[7]
