Alexander McArthur

Nugal Hall, a Gothic Revival home in Randwick, New South Wales, built for McArthurAlexander McArthur (10 March 1814 – 1 August 1909) was an Irish-born Australian and British businessman. He was a politician in both countries.

Early life and career Alexander McArthur was born on 10 March 1814 in Enniskillen, Ireland, to Wesleyan minister John McArthur and Sarah McArthur . He was privately educated and, in 1830, was apprenticed to a merchant in Omagh. After being struck by severe fevers, McArthur arrived at Sydney on 24 January 1842.

He began business with a consignment from his brother William before becoming partners with William Little and James H. Atkinson and returning to Ireland in 1848, where he founded the softgood merchants W. and A. McArthur & Co. in 1850. Returning to Sydney the following year, McArthur worked as a shipping agent and profited greatly from gold exports. W. and A. McArthur built a large warehouse in the city and opened branches in Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland. the eldest of which was the British politician William Alexander McArthur. After visiting England 1854–55, McArthur served on the Sydney Chamber of Commerce, as director of many building societies and insurance and mining companies, and as justice of the peace, and became a shareholder in the Australian Joint Stock Bank. In 1863 McArthur went to England to take over the London business and as a result vacated his seat through absence in October 1865.

Return to Britain McArthur was then a London merchant engaged in colonial trade and lived at Raleigh Hall, Brixton. He was a J. P. for Surrey and Deputy Lieutenant for the City of London. He became a Fellow of the Imperial Institute and from 1863 a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He became a member of the Royal Colonial Institute in 1869, and also of the Victoria Institute and the British Association. From 1870 to 1873 he was a member of the first London School Board. He was elected Member of Parliament for Leicester in 1874. In parliament he advocated the annexation of Fiji, stricter observance of the Sabbath and Home Rule for Ireland. He retired after holding the seat for 18 years in 1892. In 1898 his firm became a limited liability company and in 1908 was reconstituted after liquidation.

McArthur died at Sydenham, London on 1 August 1909. He is buried with his family in a large mausoleum in West Norwood Cemetery.