17 Facts About Patrick Jennings

Sir Patrick Alfred Jennings, was an Irish-Australian politician and Premier of New South Wales.

Patrick Jennings was educated at Newry and at a high school at Exeter, England, and began a mercantile career.

Patrick Jennings ran unsuccessfully for the Crowlands in the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 1859 and then became chairman of the St Arnaud Council.

Patrick Jennings declined on the ground that it should be possible to clear up the difficulties with the New South Wales government.

Patrick Jennings resigned in 1870 to enter the Legislative Assembly as member for the Murray, but resigned in 1872 and was out of parliament for some years.

Patrick Jennings unsuccessfully contested the 1874 election for Mudgee, the Upper Hunter by-election in June 1875 and the 1877 election for Wellington.

Patrick Jennings was a New South Wales Commissioner at the colonial exhibition in Melbourne in 1875, represented the colonies of New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania, at the Philadelphia exhibition in 1876, executive commissioner for the International Exhibition in Sydney in 1879.

Patrick Jennings was elected to the assembly again in 1880 as member for the Bogan and from January to July 1883 was Vice-President of the Executive Council in the ministry of Sir Alexander Stuart.

Patrick Jennings was Colonial Secretary from October to December 1885 in the first ministry of George Dibbs, and in February 1886 became the first practising Catholic Premier and was Colonial Treasurer.

Patrick Jennings's administration lasted only 11 months and had a troubled career, having inherited a financial crisis.

Patrick Jennings was scarcely a strong enough man to control a ministry which included Dibbs, Want and Lyne.

Patrick Jennings represented New South Wales at the colonial conference held in London in 1887.

Patrick Jennings was nominated to the Legislative Council in 1890, and was one of the New South Wales representatives at the federal convention held at Sydney in 1891, but did not take a prominent part in the proceedings.

Patrick Jennings was vice-president of the Agricultural Society of New South Wales from 1876 to 1887 and helped to procure the Moore Park site for the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

Patrick Jennings made many friends but was not a great parliamentarian, though he was a prominent figure in the public life of New South Wales for many years.

Patrick Jennings's wife had died in 1887, but he was survived by two sons and a daughter.

Patrick Jennings actively sought honours and was fascinated with titles, publishing an essay on knighthood.