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Samuel Charles

1818 – 1909

Irish-born Australian politician

Politician Sailor Dairy farmer
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About Samuel Charles

Lived 1818 – 1909 (aged 90–91). Samuel Charles was a politician, sailor and dairy farmer.

Samuel Charles (1818 – 23 September 1909) was an Irish-born Australian politician.

He was born at Ballyronan in County Londonderry to sergeant-major Richard Charles and Margaret Hull. He worked as a shipwright at Belfast and in 1844 migrated to Sydney, where he worked on coastal waters until 1846 when he acquired his own brigantine for the Pacific trade. In 1849 he visited the United States, where he was exporting coal; he also travelled to the United Kingdom to acquire an extra steamer. On 30 May 1855 he married Sarah Ann Gray, the sister of Samuel Gray, at Gerringong; they had eight children. He acquired a farm at Kiama, where he was an alderman from 1868 to 1870. In 1874 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Kiama, serving until he resigned to travel overseas in 1880. In 1885 he was appointed to the New South Wales Legislative Council, where he remained until his death in Point Piper on 23 September 1909.

His nephews John Marks and James Marks also served in the colonial parliament.

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Important facts

Born
1818, Ballyronan
Birth century
Died
1909, Point Piper
Positions held
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council

People in Samuel Charles's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Samuel Charles's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Samuel Charles?

Irish-born Australian politician

When was Samuel Charles born?

Samuel Charles was born in 1818 in Ballyronan.

When did Samuel Charles die?

Samuel Charles died in 1909 in Point Piper.

What was Samuel Charles's occupation?

Samuel Charles was a politician, sailor and dairy farmer.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Samuel Charles

· Wikidata: Q20741145

· DBpedia: Samuel Charles (politician)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Samuel Charles. https://biography.guide/samuel-charles/

MLA: "Samuel Charles." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/samuel-charles/.

Chicago: "Samuel Charles." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/samuel-charles/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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