Alexander McArthur

Who was Alexander McArthur?

Alexander McArthur was an Australian and British businessman and politician in both countries.

McArthur was born at Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland, the son of John McArthur, a Wesleyan minister, and his wife Sarah, née Finlay. In 1830 he was apprenticed to a merchant in Omagh. He emigrated to Australia and arrived at Sydney on 24 January 1842. After starting business with a consignment from his brother William McArthur, he became a partner of William Little and James H. Atkinson. He was a devout Methodist and in 1843 he was elected to the committee of the Wesleyan Auxiliary Missionary Society of New South Wales. He was also treasurer of the Young Men's Christian Association of Sydney and a committee member of the Benevolent Asylum, the New South Wales Auxiliary Bible Society and other charities.

McArthur returned to Ireland in 1848 and in 1850 he and his brother formed W. and A. McArthur & Co. merchants of softgoods. Back in Sydney in 1851, he was very successful as a shipping agent for the export of gold. His firm built a large warehouse in Sydney and opened branches in Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland. McArthur visited England in 1854 and 1855. After this, he became a member of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce, took a share in the Australian Joint Stock Bank, and became a director of several building societies, insurance companies and mining companies. He also became a magistrate. In June 1859 McArthur was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Newtown. He was a free trader and opposed state aid to religion. After being re-elected for Newtown in December 1860, he resigned in June 1861 when he was appointed to the New South Wales Legislative Council. In 1863 McArthur went to England to take over the London business and as a result vacated his seat through absence in October 1865.