Michael O'Grady (16 October 1824 – 5 January 1876)[1] K.S.G., M.L.A., was an Irish-born politician in Australia, member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly.

Michael O'Grady
1st & 9th Mayor of Hawthorn
In office
1860–1862
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byDugald McDougall
In office
1870–1871
Preceded byHenry Lawes
Succeeded byAlfred Harston
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for South Bourke
In office
1 August 1861 – 1 January 1868
Preceded byHibbert Newton
Succeeded byJohn Crews
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Villiers & Heytesbury
In office
1 November 1870 – 1 January 1876
Preceded byMorgan McDonnell
Succeeded byJoseph Jones
Personal details
Born16 October 1824
Frenchpark, County Roscommon, Ireland
Died5 January 1876(1876-01-05) (aged 51)
Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia

Background

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O'Grady was born in Frenchpark, County Roscommon, Ireland,[1] and went to London as a boy to push his fortune.[2] In 1855 he was sent out to Sydney to establish a branch of the "People's Provident Society."[2] The next year he removed to Melbourne and was connected with insurance business.

Politics

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In 1861 O'Grady entered the Lower House of the Victorian Parliament as member for South Bourke,[3] and was Vice-president Board Land & Works and Commissioner Public Works from 6 May 1868 to 11 July 1868[3] in the Charles Sladen Ministry.[2] In November 1870 O'Grady was elected as member for Villiers and Heytesbury, a position he held until his death.[3] He again held the Commissioner of Public Works post, in the Charles Gavan Duffy Ministry from 19 June 1871 to 10 June 1872.[3] O'Grady, who was created a Knight of St. Gregory by the Pope in 1871,[2] was a member of the Hawthorn Municipal Council from 1860 to 1861 and mayor 1870 to 1871. He died at his home in Hawthorn, Melbourne from a liver complaint on 5 January 1876.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Woods, Janice Burns. "O'Grady, Michael (1824–1876)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d Mennell, Philip (1892). "O'Grady, Hon. Michael" . The Dictionary of Australasian Biography. London: Hutchinson & Co – via Wikisource.
  3. ^ a b c d "O'Grady, Michael". Re-Member: a database of all Victorian MPs since 1851. Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2013.