20 Facts About James McCulloch

Sir James McCulloch, was a British colonial politician and statesman who served as the fifth premier of Victoria over four non-consecutive terms from 1863 to 1868,1868 to 1869,1870 to 1871 and 1875 to 1877.

James McCulloch is the third longest-serving premier in Victorian history.

James McCulloch was the son of George McCulloch, a quarry master and contractor, and Jane Thomson, a farmer's daughter.

James McCulloch had only a primary education and as a young man worked in shops, eventually becoming a junior partner in a softgoods firm.

On 11 May 1853 McCulloch arrived in Melbourne aboard the Adelaide to manage the mercantile firm of Dennistoun Brothers in Melbourne.

James McCulloch was appointed a member of the Legislative Council on 1 August 1854, replacing Andrew Aldcorn.

James McCulloch later represented Mornington from March 1862 to around March 1872 and Warrnambool from May 1874 to around May 1878.

When John O'Shanassy's conservative government resigned in June 1863 James McCulloch became Premier and Chief Secretary for the first time.

James McCulloch was Postmaster-General of Victoria 9 May 1864 to 6 May 1868.

The James McCulloch government fought a series of battles with the conservative landowners who dominated the Legislative Council.

The most important was over the tariff issue: James McCulloch was a protectionist while the Council was controlled by free traders.

James McCulloch, who was a director of the London Bank, then took the extraordinary step of lending his own government 860,000 pounds to meet its debts and running expenses.

Finally, after prolonged negotiations, James McCulloch agreed to resume office and the Council passed a modified tariff bill and granted supply.

James McCulloch called another election for February 1868, which he won comfortably.

James McCulloch resumed office, but without Higinbotham, who disapproved of this compromise.

James McCulloch remained in office until September 1869, and was Premier again from 9 April 1870 to 19 June 1871 and from 20 October 1875 to 21 May 1877, but these periods in office were relatively uneventful.

James McCulloch's government introduced a bill to create a system of free, secular government schools, but the Catholics and Anglicans joined forces to block it.

James McCulloch grew increasingly conservative after 1870 and in 1875 he had a political falling out with Higinbotham.

James McCulloch was knighted in 1870 and made KCMG in 1874.

James McCulloch married first Susan Renwick and second Margaret Boak Inglis, but had no children.