# The Dictionary of Australasian Biography/Francis, Hon. James Goodall

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​Francis, Hon. James Goodall, sometime Premier of Victoria, was born in London in 1819, and emigrated to Tasmania in 1834. Here he entered the mercantile firm of Boys & Painter, whose business he took over in 1847, in conjunction with his partner, Mr. Macpherson. A branch establishment was opened in Melbourne in 1853, under the management of Mr. Francis, and he henceforward resided in Victoria, going largely into squatting and viticulture, in addition to his mercantile concerns, which proved highly successful. In 1855 he was elected a director of the Bank of New South Wales, and was President of the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce as far back as 1857. In Oct. 1859 he was returned to the Legislative Assembly for Richmond, which he represented till he resigned in 1874. Mr. Francis was Minister of Public Works in the Nicholson Administration from Nov. of that year to Sept. 1860, when he resigned with Mr. Service in connection with the dispute with the Upper House over the Land Bill. He was Minister of Trade and Customs in the first MᶜCulloch Government from June 1863 to May 1868, supporting and in a great measure initiating the partially protective tariff introduced by the Treasurer, Mr. Verdon, and also the Darling Grant; the tacking of both which measures to the Appropriation Bill he cordially approved. He was himself Treasurer in the third MᶜCulloch Government from April 1870 to June 1871. During the latter part of the Duffy Administration which succeeded, he led the opposition, and after the former were defeated, in June 1872, he formed a government which lasted until July 1874, when he retired, partly on political grounds and partly with a view to recruiting his health by a visit to the old country. Parliament under the auspices of his administration sanctioned a railway expenditure of £2,250,000; but the chief event of his tenure of power was the passing of the Education Act, introduced by Mr. Stephen, the Attorney-General, and which established the present highly popular, though expensive system of free education. Mr. Francis was by no means a skilled parliamentary orator or an eminently adroit manager of men, but his downright manners and bluff honesty rendered him, apart from mere politics, one of the most popular premiers Victoria has possessed. As a means of reforming the Upper House and averting deadlocks, Mr. Francis introduced into the Assembly a scheme embodying the Norwegian system, but it met with but cold support, and Mr. Francis in consequence resigned, and was succeeded by Mr. Kerferd. He on three occasions refused the honour of knighthood—a fact which no doubt contributed to establish his popularity. On his return from England Mr. Francis, though always previously looked on as a Liberal, avowed himself as strongly opposed to what he regarded as the extreme policy of the Berry Government, and was induced to enter the lists against Sir Bryan O'Loghlen, when that gentleman contested West Melbourne in 1878. ​Despite Mr. Francis' personal popularity, he was, however, defeated, and the same result accrued when he again opposed Sir Bryan on his seeking re-election after accepting the office of Attorney-General in the Berry Government. Shortly afterwards Mr. Francis was returned to the Assembly for Warrnambool, and was re-elected in 1880 and again in 1883. Meanwhile he acted with Mr. Murray Smith as joint leader of the Constitutional party, as the combined Conservatives and old Liberals now called themselves. Mr. Francis, whose health had been for some time failing, died on Jan. 25th, 1884. His widow, Mrs. Mary Grant Francis, died in England on May 13th, 1887, at the age of sixty-three.