Person
Scott, James Reid (1839 - 1877)
- Born
- 1 April 1839
Earlston, Berwick, Scotland - Died
- 25 August 1877
New Town, Tasmania, Australia - Occupation
- Explorer and Politician
Summary
James Scott arrived in Tasmania in 1856 and learnt the art of surveying from his uncle. In 1865 he was made a justice of the peace and the following year was elected as an independent to the House of Assembly. This was the start of Scott's long political career. Scott was also a keen explorer and botanist and went on several expeditions to parts of Tasmania little explored. In 1876 he reported to the minister of lands and suggested that the western lands should be opened up and made accessible to encourage prospecting and mining.
Details
Chronology
- 1856
- Life event - Migrated to Australia (Launceston)
- 1865
- Career position - Justice of the Peace
- 1866 - 1872
- Career position - Member of the House of Assembly for Selby
- 1868 -
- Award - Fellow, Royal Society of Tasmania
- 1869
- Career position - Member of the Royal Commission on distillation
- 1871 - 1872
- Career position - Chairman of Committees
- 1872 - 1873
- Career position - Colonial Secretary
- 1872 - 1877
- Career position - Member for South Esk in the Legislative Council
- 1873 - 1877
- Career position - Carried out several expeditions to new areas in the west and south-west of Tasmania
Archival resources
Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science
- Australian Botanists - Biographies, MS 064; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details
Archives Office of Tasmania
- James Reid Scott - Records, 1860 - 1877, NI 1179.34; Archives Office of Tasmania. Details
Published resources
Book Sections
- Smith, Neil, 'Scott, James Reid (1839-1877), explorer and politician' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 6: 1851 - 1890 R - Z, Bede Nairn, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1976), pp. 96-97. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A060110b.htm. Details
Resources
- Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q16063837. Details
- VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/94082354. Details
- 'Scott, James Reid (1839-1877)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-599138. Details
McCarthy, G.J.
Created: 20 October 1993, Last modified: 12 February 2018
- Foundation Supporter - Committee to Review Australian Studies in Tertiary Education