Maurice Charles O'Connell

Sir Maurice Charles O'Connell (13 January 1812 – 23 March 1879) was a Queensland pioneer and president of the Queensland Legislative Council.

Early life O'Connell was born at Sydney in 1812. His father was Sir Maurice Charles O'Connell, his mother was Mary (née Bligh, formerly Putland) a daughter of Governor William Bligh. He was educated at the high school, Edinburgh; Dublin and Paris.

Army career O'Connell entered the army as an ensign at 16 and joined the 73rd Regiment at Gibraltar. Sir Maurice O'Connell was rewarded for his services by having the knighthood of several Spanish orders conferred upon him.

In 1863, O'Connell was one of the founders and original trustees of the Queensland Turf Club, having arranged a land grant of 322 acres of land at Eagle Farm in Brisbane for the purpose of horse racing, now known as the Eagle Farm Racecourse. The other trustees were John Frederick McDougall and George Harris (all three were Members of the Queensland Legislative Council).

In 1865 O'Connell, Augustus Charles Gregory and John Douglas applied for a special grant of land to erect a Masonic Hall in Brisbane. This was granted on 15 January 1865.

Late life and legacy O'Connell was knighted in 1871.

O'Connell died of cancer in Brisbane on 23 March 1879 at Queensland Parliament House.

Family O'Connell married in 1835 Eliza Emeline Le Geyt, daughter of Colonel Philip Le Geyt, of Jersey. During the 1901 visit to Australia of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (later King George V and Queen Mary), the royal couple had a special interview with Lady O'Connell, where she told of her early colonial experiences. Lady O'Connell died in Brisbane on 8 January 1903, almost 90 years old.