John Kirkpatrick was born in 1840 at [[Lockerbie]] in [[Dumfriesshire]], Scotland, the son of Simon and Elizabeth Kirkpatrick. He received his initial education at the local parish school.<ref name=bio2>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/111979751 The Labor Members], ”Evening News” (Sydney), 23 July 1891, page 5.</ref>
John Kirkpatrick was born in 1840 at [[Lockerbie]] in [[Dumfriesshire]], Scotland, the son of Simon and Elizabeth Kirkpatrick. He received his initial education at the local parish school.<ref name=bio2>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/111979751 The Labor Members], ”Evening News” (Sydney), 23 July 1891, page 5.</ref>
In about 1850, when he was aged ten, young John was sent to an uncle in [[Glasgow]] where he completed his schooling. His uncle was a tailor and “had his nephew apprenticed to him with a view to him succeeding to the business”. After serving his apprenticeship Kirkpatrick took a job as a cutter.<ref name=bio2/>
In about 1850, when he was aged ten, young John was sent to an uncle in [[Glasgow]] where he completed his schooling. His uncle was a tailor and “had his nephew apprenticed to him with a view to him succeeding to the business”. After serving his apprenticeship Kirkpatrick took a job as a cutter.<ref name=bio2/>
===New Zealand===
===New Zealand===
Australian politician
|
John Kirkpatrick |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| In office 27 June 1891 – 25 June 1894 |
|
| In office 17 June 1894 – 25 July 1895 |
|
| Born | 1839-40 |
| Died | 8 December 1904 (aged 64) |
| Spouse | Bridget Annie Strong |
| Parents |
|
John Kirkpatrick (1840 – 8 December 1904) was a Scottish-born Australian politician.
John Kirkpatrick was born in 1840 at Lockerbie in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, the son of Simon and Elizabeth Kirkpatrick. He received his initial education at the local parish school.[1]
In about 1850, when he was aged ten, young John was sent to an uncle in Glasgow where he completed his schooling. His uncle was a tailor and “had his nephew apprenticed to him with a view to him succeeding to the business”. After serving his apprenticeship Kirkpatrick took a job as a fabric cutter.[1]
In 1860, “dissatisfied with life at home”, Kirkpatrick “accepted an engagement” in New Zealand on a salary of four hundred pounds a year. After gold was discovered in the Central Otago region of the South Island, he became a miner at the diggings “with varying success”.[2][3]
When cotton became a valuable commodity as a result of the American Civil War, Kirkpatrick went to Fiji to plant and harvest cotton. However, his enterprise met with “little success, owing to the frequency of hurricanes“.[2][3]
in 1871 Kirkpatrick came to New South Wales.[3] He settled for a short time at Gulgong where new gold diggings had opened up.[4]
Kirkpatrick settled at Coonabarabran and went into business as a tailor and storekeeper. When the township was incorporated he was elected as an alderman and was elected as mayor on two occasions.[4][2]
He then moved to Gunnedah, where he also served on council and was a director of a co-operative butchery.
From about the late 1870s Kirkpatrick began a de facto relationship with Bridget Annie Strong. Five children were born to the couple from 1880 to 1879 (one daughter and four sons). John Kirkpatrick and Bridget Annie Strong were married in 1890 at Gunnedah. Four more children were born to the couple from 1891 to 1896 (two sons and two daughters).[5][A]
In 1891 Kirkpatrick was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Gunnedah, as one of the first group of Labor Party members.
In early February 1892 Kirkpatrick was re-elected as mayor of Gunnedah for the ensuing year.[6]
Re-elected in 1894, he did not contest the 1895 election, although he did contest the 1898 election as a Free Trade candidate.
Kirkpatrick died on 8 December 1904 at Gunnedah.[7]
- ^ a b The Labor Members, Evening News (Sydney), 23 July 1891, page 5.
- ^ a b c Mr. John Kirkpatrick, Daily Telegraph (Sydney), 28 July 1894, page 5.
- ^ a b c A Politician Dead, Barrier Miner (Broken Hill), 9 December 1904, page 2.
- ^ a b Gunnedah born entertainer’s ‘heart of gold’ by Marie Hobson, Gunnedah Times, 31 May 2025; accessed 16 December 2025.
- ^ Family records, Ancestry.com.
- ^ Gunnedah, Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser, 9 February 1892, page 5.
- ^ “Mr John Kirkpatrick (1840-1904)”. Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
