George Burns (Queensland politician)

George Burns
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Townsville
In office 6 May 1893 – 5 Nov 1893 Serving with Robert Philp
Preceded by	William Villiers Brown
Succeeded by	Anthony Ogden
Personal details
Born	George Robertson Burns 1845 Edinburgh, Scotland
Died	5 November 1893 (aged 48) Keppel Bay, Queensland, Australia
Resting place	West End Cemetery
Political party	Ministerial
Spouse(s)	Grace Clow (d.1926)
Occupation	Engineer
Religion	Presbyterian

George Robertson Burns (1847 - 5 November 1893) was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.^[1]

Biography

Burns was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, the son of Graham Burns and his wife Jessie (née McGregor) and was educated in Edinburgh public schools and the Ayr Academy. By 1862 he was apprenticed as an engineer in Glasgow before travelling to Peru and working as an engineer for Randolph, Elder & Company and McOnie's machinery. He then travelled to the United States of America before arriving in Queensland in 1875 and employed as an engineer at Hambledon's plantation in Cairns. He then leased the Townsville Foundry and in 1888 purchased the new Ross Creek Works of the Townsville Foundry and Shipping Company.^[1]

He was married to Grace Clow (died 1926)^[2] and together had four children.^[1] Burns died at Keppel Bay aboard the SS Airlie in November 1893^[1] and was buried in Townsville's West End Cemetery.^[3]

Public career

Burns won the junior position in the two-member seat of Townsville for the Ministerialists at the 1893 Queensland colonial election.^[4] He was on his way home to Townsville from Brisbane when he died six months later.^[5]

References

1. "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
2. Family history research — Queensland Government births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
3. BURNS George Robinson — City of Townsville Retrieved 13 June 2016.
4. "GENERAL ELECTION.". The Brisbane Courier. XLIX, (11,018). Queensland, Australia. 8 May 1893. p. 6. Retrieved 13 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "The Death of Mr. G. R. Bur[?] M.L.A.". The North Queensland Register. III, ([?]). Queensland, Australia. 8 November 1893. p. 10. Retrieved 13 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.