Henry Copeland (1839-1904)

Obituary
Mr. Henry Copeland was horn in Hull, Yorkshire, on June 6, 1839. He went to Victoria in 1856, and for a period of 15 years lived at Ballarat during which time he revisited his native land, for the purpose of getting married. Mr. Copeland took up his residence in Sydney in 1872. After the passing of the Mining Act, in 1874, Mr Copeland, at that time having a large mining interest at Adelong, was elected by the miners of the Tumut and Adelong district to represent them on the Mining Board, the duties of which were to frame regulations with respect to mining claims. In 1874, the year of the "Gardiner minute" dissolution of Parliament, Mr Copeland contested the seat for the southern goldfields against Mr. E. A. Baker, but was defeated by about 80 votes.

In October, 1877, however, he was returned for the Northern Goldfields unopposed and in December of the same year, Sir Henry Parkes having been commissioned to form an Administration, offered Mr. Copeland the portfolio of Mines. But popular opinion at that time was against Sir Henry, and he was unable to satisfactorily complete the task, and after Sir Wm. Manning and Mr. Stephen Campbell Brown had each had an unsuccessful try at Cabinet making, the Farnell-Fitzpatrick Government was ultimately formed. On the passing of the electoral Act of 1880 the goldfield elcctorates were abolished, and in the succeeding election in December, 1880, Mr. Copeland was elected for New England. At the next dissolution, in November, 1882, brought about by the defeat of the Parkes-Robertson Land Bill, Mr. Copeland left New England, and pitted himself against Mr. W. J. Foster, the then Minister for Justice, at Newtown. He succeeded in defeating Mr. Foster, but was himself defeated a few weeks later when, on taking office as Minister for Works in the Stuart Government, it was necessary to seek re-election. However, Mr. M. M'Elhone had been returned in the Stuart bunch for East Sydney, and also for his old seat for the Upper Hunter, and he consented to resign the former seat in favour of Mr. Copeland, who, however, was again opposed by Sir Arthur (then Dr.) Renwick, the ex-Minister for Mines. But Mr. Copeland was returned for East Sydney, amidst great excitement, having polled nearly 1500 votes over his opponent. On March 20, 1883, he resigned the position of Minister for Works. In October, 1885, on Sir George (then Mr.) Dibbs forming his first Government, Mr. Copeland was again offered the portfolio of Public Works, but declined it. On the dissolution which followed the defeat of the Dibbs Qovernmont, Mr. Copeland again contested East Sydney, and was returned third on the poll. When the Jennings Government was formed in February, 1886, Mr. Copeland took office as Minister for Lands, and upon going again to East Sydney for re-election was returned unopposed. In January, 1887, the Jennings Ministry resigned, and were succeeded by an Administration formed by Sir Henry Parkes, a dissolution following immediately afterwards. During the previous year Mr. Copeland had lost confidence in the policy of freetrade which he had hitherto advocated, and with a view of definitely opening the campaign as a protectionist, he decided to again seek the suffrages of New England, for which electorate he was again successfully returned. After the defeat of the Parkes Government, on Mr. Fehon's appointment as a Railway Commissioner, Sir George (then Mr.) Dibbs was again called upon to form a Government, and he offered Mr. Copeland the position of Minister for Education; but that gentleman, being under the impression that the formation of a protectionist Government was then premature, declined to accept a portfolio. At the next general election Mr. Copeland was again elected for New England by a large majority, it being the tenth occasion on which he had sought Parliamentary honours.

After many years of useful work in Parliament, Mr. Copeland, who was the then sitting member for Phillip Division in the Legislative Assembly, was, on March 17, 1900, appointed Agent-General in London by Sir William (then Mr. Lyne, who stated that in resolving to appoint Mr. Copeland the Government had had regard to the fact that he was a man of exceptional ability; he was not only a vigorous speaker, but was a forceful writer; he had been in public life for many years, had always been a prominent man, and altogether his career had been such as to give him the best of opportunities for gaining a knowledge of the resources and requirements of the colony. There could, he said, be no doubt as to his readiness and ability to promote the best interests of the colony.

During the early part of this year Mr. Copeland revisited Sydney for the purpose of seeing his wife, who was in very delicate health, having been ill for some time, and who died shortly after her husband's return to London. Recently Mr. Copeland underwent an operation for an aeffction of the throat, but was understood to be progressing favourably. His death, probably a result of the operation, comes as a shock to the community by reason of its suddenness.

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