Nicholas Fitzgerald

Nicholas Fitzgerald (7 August 1829 – 17 August 1908) was an Australian brewer, company director and politician. He was co-founder of the Castlemaine brewery in Melbourne, chairman of directors of the Castlemaine Brewery Company (Melbourne) and a member of the Victorian Legislative Council from 1864 until 1907.

Early life and business career

Fitzgerald was born in Galway, Ireland to Francis Fitzgerald and Eleanor Joyes. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin and Queen's College, Galway and entered the King's Inns in 1848.

Political career

Fitzgerald was a member of the Victorian Legislative Council for North Western Province from 1864 to 1882, for North Central Province 1882 to 1904, He also represented Victoria at the Federal Convention in Sydney in 1891 and the Colonial Conference of 1894 in Ottawa, where he represented both Victoria and Tasmania.

Personal life

In 1863 Fitzgerald married Marianne O'Shanassy, with whom he had seven sons. One, Percy, was a first-class cricketer and brigadier general in the British Army, whole another, Francis, was also a first-class cricketer, in addition to being a barrister. Nicholas Fitzgerald died in St Kilda on 17 August 1908.