# Postmaster-General of New South Wales

The Postmaster-General of New South Wales was a position in the government of the colony of New South Wales. This portfolio managed the postal department of the New South Wales Government and was in charge of all postal and communications services in the colony prior to the Federation of Australia, from 1835 to 1901. Upon Federation, Section 51(v) of the Constitution of Australia gave the Commonwealth exclusive power for "postal, telegraphic, telephonic, and other like services".

## History

The first Postmaster of New South Wales, Isaac Nichols, was appointed by the military junta following the overthrow of Governor Bligh in the Rum Rebellion. Nichols retained the position when Governor Macquarie arrived in 1810, holding it until his death in 1819. The post office was re-organised in 1835, with postmaster James Raymond being appointed as Postmaster-General, responsible for the various post offices throughout the colony. Raymond's replacement, Francis Merewether was appointed to the Legislative Council. With the establishment of responsible government in 1856, the position reverted to a civil service office. At first the postmaster-general reported to the Colonial Secretary, then the Colonial Treasurer. In September 1865 the Governor declared that a member of the Legislative Assembly was capable of holding the office of Postmaster-General, and James Cunneen was appointed, however his appointment as a minister did not give him a seat in cabinet.

## List of Postmasters-General

| Title | Name | Party affiliation | Term start | Term end | Time in office |
| Postmaster | Isaac Nichols | Not a member of Legislative Council | March 1809 | 18 November 1819 | 9–10 years |
| Postmaster | George Panton | Not a member of Legislative Council | 16 November 1819 | 24 April 1829 | 9 years, 159 days |
| Postmaster | James Raymond | Not a member of Legislative Council | 27 April 1829 | 20 October 1835 | 6 years, 176 days |
| Postmaster-General | James Raymond | Not a member of Legislative Council | 21 October 1835 | 29 May 1851 | 15 years, 220 days |
| Postmaster-General | Francis Merewether | Appointed position in Legislative Council | 9 June 1851 | 30 April 1852 | 326 days |
| Postmaster-General | William Christie | Appointed position in Legislative Council, until 1856 | 1 May 1852 | 1 October 1865 | 13 years, 153 days |
| Postmaster-General | James Cunneen | No party | 1 October 1865 | 21 October 1866 | 1 year, 20 days |
| Postmaster-General | Joseph Docker | No party | 22 January 1866 | 27 September 1868 | 2 years, 249 days |
| Postmaster-General | Atkinson Tighe | No party | 29 September 1868 | 26 October 1868 | 27 days |
| Postmaster-General | Daniel Egan | No party | 27 October 1868 | 16 October 1870 | 1 year, 354 days |
| Postmaster-General | Joseph Docker | No party | 16 December 1870 | 13 May 1872 | 1 year, 149 days |
| Postmaster-General | George Lloyd | No party | 14 May 1872 | 4 December 1872 | 204 days |
| Postmaster-General | Saul Samuel | No party | 5 December 1872 | 8 February 1875 | 2 years, 65 days |
| Postmaster-General | John Burns | No party | 9 February 1875 | 21 March 1877 | 2 years, 40 days |
| Postmaster-General | Saul Samuel | No party | 22 March 1877 | 16 August 1877 | 147 days |
| Postmaster-General | John Davies | No party | 17 August 1877 | 17 December 1877 | 122 days |
| Postmaster-General | John Burns | No party | 18 December 1877 | 20 December 1878 | 1 year, 2 days |
| Postmaster-General | Saul Samuel | No party | 21 December 1878 | 10 August 1880 | 1 year, 233 days |
| Postmaster-General | Francis Suttor | No party | 11 August 1881 | 13 November 1881 | 94 days |
| Postmaster-General | Stephen Brown | No party | 14 November 1881 | 22 August 1882 | 281 days |
| Postmaster-General | Alexander Campbell | No party | 30 August 1882 | 4 January 1883 | 127 days |
| Postmaster-General | Francis Wright | No party | 5 January 1883 | 27 May 1883 | 142 days |
| Postmaster-General | William Trickett | No party | 28 May 1883 | 1 May 1884 | 339 days |
| Postmaster-General | James Norton | No party | 2 May 1884 | 6 October 1885 | 1 year, 157 days |
| Postmaster-General | John See | No party | 7 October 1885 | 21 December 1885 | 75 days |
| Postmaster-General | Daniel O'Connor | No party | 22 December 1885 | 25 February 1886 | 65 days |
| Postmaster-General | Francis Wright | No party | 26 February 1886 | 19 January 1887 | 327 days |
| Postmaster-General | Charles Roberts | Free Trade | 20 January 1887 | 16 January 1889 | 1 year, 362 days |
| Postmaster-General | Henry Clarke | Protectionist | 17 January 1889 | 7 March 1889 | 49 days |
| Postmaster-General | Daniel O'Connor | Free Trade | 8 March 1889 | 22 October 1891 | 2 years, 228 days |
| Postmaster-General | John Kidd | Protectionist | 27 October 1891 | 2 August 1894 | 2 years, 279 days |
| Postmaster-General | Joseph Cook | Free Trade | 3 August 1894 | 27 August 1898 | 4 years, 24 days |
| Postmaster-General | Varney Parkes | Free Trade | 27 August 1898 | 13 September 1899 | 1 year, 17 days |
| Postmaster-General | Paddy Crick | Protectionist | 14 September 1899 | 28 February 1901 | 1 year, 167 days |