Sir John O’Shanassy KCMG (1818–1883), politician and businessman, arrived in Melbourne from Ireland in 1839. Later the proprietor of a prosperous drapery business, he was briefly a councillor of the City of Melbourne before being elected to Victoria’s first Legislative Council in 1851. In 1854, shortly before the Eureka Rebellion, he was appointed to the commission of inquiry into the goldfields, his subsequent report finding that many of the miners’ claims were justified. He won the seat of Kilmore in the Legislative Assembly in 1856, and between 1858 and 1863 he served as premier three times. In addition, O’Shanassy acquired substantial landholdings (in NSW and, later, Queensland); was a chairman of the Colonial Bank; a trustee of the Public Library; and the founder of the St Patrick’s Society. The Pope named him a Knight of the Order of St Gregory in 1866 for his efforts in the cause of Catholic education. Though his political influence had begun to wane during the 1860s, he returned to the Legislative Assembly as the member for Belfast (Port Fairy) in 1877, making his last speech of note in 1882. His grave in the Melbourne General Cemetery is topped by a soaring Celtic cross.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2008
The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the
Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a
Reproduction request. For further information please contact
NPG Copyright.
