William Harvey Christie

Who was William Harvey Christie?

Major William Harvey Christie British army officer and public servant in colonial New South Wales.

Christie was the son of Thomas Christie, M.D., of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, and was born in Sri Lanka in 1808. He was educated at Rugby and the Military Academy, Woolwich, where he qualified for the artillery. Joining the 80th Regiment as an ensign, he became lieutenant in 1827, captain in 1833, and major in 1838, when he went to New South Wales with his regiment. He retired from the army in 1840, and acted as police magistrate till 1842, when he was appointed Agent for the Church and School Estates. From 1852 to 1865 he held the then non-political office of Postmaster-General of New South Wales. Major Christie died at Pyrmont on 19 March 1873.