Birth Date: | 24 June 1818 |
Nationality: | Australian |
John Lucas (24 June 1818 – 1 March 1902) was a builder and politician in colonial New South Wales, a member of both the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council.[1]
Lucas was born on 24 June 1818 at Kingston, part of, to John Lucas, a miller and builder, and Mary Rowley, a daughter of Thomas Rowley. He was educated at a Church of England school in Liverpool, and Captain Beveridge's boarding school. He left school to be apprenticed as a carpenter, the trade of his grandfather Nathaniel Lucas.
He first stood for the Legislative Assembly at the 1859 election for Canterbury, but was unsuccessful.[2] He won the seat at the 1860 by-election, holding it at the 1860 general election. In December 1864 he was elected to both Canterbury,[2] and Hartley,[3] choosing to represent Hartley. He was defeated in an attempt to return to Canterbury at the election in December 1869.[2] He regained a seat in the assembly at the 1871 Canterbury by-election,[2] serving until his retirement in 1880. His only ministerial appointment was as Secretary for Mines in the third Robertson ministry from February 1875 until March 1877.[1] He was appointed to the Legislative Council in 1880 and served until his death.[1]
He married Ann Sammons on 4 January 1841 at, and they had five children.
He was noted patron of the Jenolan Caves in the Blue Mountains[4] where a cave and a tour have since been named in his honour.[5] He also maintained a holiday cottage on Lapstone Hill at the Eastern edge of the Blue Mountains. On the original Lapstone Zig Zag a station was built for him and named . The remains of the station are still visible today.
Lucas died at Camperdown on .