Sir Joshua Peter Bell | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 3rd Treasurer of Queensland | |
| In office 22 December 1864 – 20 July 1866 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas Moffatt |
| Succeeded by | John Donald McLean |
| Constituency | West Moreton |
| In office 28 March 1871 – 8 January 1874 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Ramsay |
| Succeeded by | William Hemmant |
| Constituency | Northern Downs (1871-1873) |
| Constituency | Dalby (1873-1874) |
| President of the Queensland Legislative Council | |
| In office 3 April 1879 – 20 December 1881 | |
| Preceded by | Sir Maurice O'Connell |
| Succeeded by | Sir Arthur Palmer |
| Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for West Moreton | |
| In office 15 December 1862 – 28 September 1868 Serving with Henry Challinor, Robert Herbert, Joseph Fleming, George Thorn, Jr., Benjamin Cribb, Patrick O'Sullivan | |
| Preceded by | Joseph Fleming |
| Succeeded by | Frederick Forbes |
| Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Northern Downs | |
| In office 28 September 1868 – 11 November 1873 | |
| Preceded by | Henry Thorn |
| Succeeded by | Henry Thorn |
| In office 21 November 1878 – 2 April 1879 | |
| Preceded by | William Miles |
| Succeeded by | George Thorn Jr. |
| Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Dalby | |
| In office 10 November 1873 – 15 November 1878 | |
| Succeeded by | George Simpson |
| Queensland Legislative Council | |
| In office 3 April 1879 – 20 December 1881 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 January 1827 County Kildare, Ireland |
| Died | 20 December 1881 (aged 54) Brisbane, Queensland |
| Resting place | Toowong Cemetery |
| Spouse | Margaret Miller Dorsey |
| Relations | Joshua Thomas Bell (son), John Alexander Bell (brother) |
| Occupation | pastoralist |
Sir Joshua Peter Bell K.C.M.G. (19 January 1827 – 20 December 1881) was an Australian politician and pastoralist. He was Treasurer of Queensland from 1864 to 1866 and from 1871 to 1874, and President of the Queensland Legislative Council from 1879 to 1881. His eldest son was barrister and parliamentarian Joshua Thomas Bell.[1]
Bell was born in Kildare, Ireland, eldest son of Thomas Bell and his wife Sarah, née Alexander. The family emigrated to Australia around 1830. He attended the Sydney College and King's School, Parramatta. In 1848, Bell became joint manager of Jimbour Station in Darling Downs, Queensland with his brother Alexander after his father had taken over the lease of the property. Bell soon assumed sole control of the station due to his astute management that saw the station becoming one of the most respected in the area.[1]
Due to his status as a prominent landholder, Bell was invited to stand in the elections in 1862 for the seat of West Moreton. He won this seat with a considerable majority and remained in office for six years. In 1868 he stood for the seat of Northern Downs (Dalby), the local constituency of Jimbour Station, in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland.[2] He was successful in this election and continued to hold the seat for eleven years.
In his eleven years in parliament in the seat of Northern Downs, Bell gained a number of ministerial roles. In 1864 he was appointed treasurer (in the first Queensland ministry under Robert Herbert)[3] a position he held until 1866. In 1866 there was a financial crisis owing to the failure of two banks, Bell as treasurer stated that he intended to issue "inconvertible government notes". The governor, Sir George Bowen, considered that would be an infringement of the prerogatives of the crown and then premier Arthur Macalister resigned on 20 July 1866.[2] Bell later assumed the role of treasurer in a subsequent government in 1871 and remained in office for further three years. Bell also held a number of other ministerial positions, notably Minister for Lands in 1866 and acting Minister for Works in 1867.[1]
In 1879 Bell transferred to the Queensland Legislative Council and was elected president.[2] For a short period of time from March to November 1880, Bell was appointed as Administrator in the absence of the then Governor Sir Arthur Kennedy. He was appointed K.C.M.G. in 1881.
Joshua Peter Bell died suddenly on 20 December 1881 and was buried at Toowong Cemetery.[1][4] A memorial to him was also erected at Jimbour Homestead.
