Central Province (Victoria) Explained

Central Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council.^[1]

Creation

Central was one of the six original upper house Provinces of the bi-cameral Victorian Parliament created in November 1856. The area of the province, centered on Melbourne was defined in the Victoria Constitution Act 1855.^[2] Central Province included the Electoral Districts of Melbourne, St Kilda, Collingwood, South Melbourne, Richmond and Williamstown as well as parts of other adjoining districts.^[3]

Abolition

Central Province was abolished in the redistribution of provinces in 1882. James Lorimer and William Edward Hearn transferred from Central to Melbourne Province; Theodotus Sumner transferred to North Yarra Province; James MacBain and James Graham transferred to South Yarra Province that year.^[1]

Members

These were members of the upper house province of the Victorian Legislative Council.^[4]

Members for Central Province

Year	Member 1		Party	Member 2		Party	Member 3		Party	Member 4		Party	Member 5		Party
1856		Nehemiah Guthridge			John Hood				Henry Miller			John Pascoe Fawkner			John Hodgson
1858				Thomas Fellows
1858		Thomas à Beckett[5]
1859					George Cole
1860								William Henry Hull
1860
1862
1864
1866								James Graham[6]
1868				John O'Shanassy
1868
1869										Henry Walsh
1870
1871										Archibald Michie[7]
1872
1873										Theodotus Sumner[8]
1874				Frederick Sargood
1874
1876
1878		William Edward Hearn
1879					James Lorimer[9]
1880				James MacBain
1880

1856 election results

Candidate[10]	Votes
Hodgson*
Fawkner*
Miller*
Hood*
Guthridge*
Smith
a'Beckett
Fellows
Wiklie
Mayne
Total

First five elected.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Re-Member (Former Members). State Government of Victoria. 3 June 2013.
2. Web site: Victoria Constitution Act 1855 . 444 . 3 June 2013.
3. Web site: Central Province and Electoral Districts of Melbourne, St Kilda, Collingwood, South Melbourne, Richmond and Williamstown. . 27 November 1855 . map . State Library of Victoria. 3 June 2013.
4. Book: Constitutional Development of Victoria, 1851-6 . Edward Sweetman . 1920 . Whitcombe & Tombs Limited . 182 . 18 November 2012.
5. News: Victoria . Freeman's Journal . Sydney . 29 September 1858. 2. à Beckett won the September by-election, sworn-in in October
6. News: The Central Province election. The Argus . Melbourne . 20 September 1866 . 4 . Graham was elected unopposed on 20 Sep 1866, sworn-in Jan 1867
7. News: Central Province Election . The Argus . Melbourne . 22 June 1871. Michie was elected in June, sworn-in in August
8. News: Central Province Election . The Argus . Melbourne . 1 April 1873 . 5. Sumner won the 31 March by-election, sworn-in in May
9. News: Central Province Election . The Argus . Melbourne . 12 May 1879 . 8. Lorimer elected unopposed 12 May, sworn-in July
10. Web site: Election for the Central Province . South Australian Register . 3 September 1856 . 3 June 2013.