Pyke, Vincent

Born 4 February 1827 (Somerset)
Died 5 June 1894. (Lawrence, New Zealand)
Marriage: 1846 Bristol, England, Frances Elizabeth Renwick; 4s. 1d.
Occupation: Miner, storekeeper and government officer
Religion: Church of England

Career: Emigrated South Australia1851; walked to Vic. and spent two years mining in Bendigo district; opened store at Forest Creek (Castlemaine) 1853; appointed immigration agent for Vic. 1857 and accompanied H. E. Childers to England; on return 1858 was appointed warden and Chinese protector at Sandhurst; passed Mining Companies Act 1860; visited Otago, NZ. 1862; accepted position of head of Goldfields Department under Otago Provincial Government; MHR for some twenty years; journalist and author. Freemason.

House	Electorate	Start *		End *
MLC	Castlemaine	November 1855		March 1856
MLA	Castlemaine Boroughs	November 1856		February 1857	Resigned
MLA	Castlemaine Boroughs	October 1859		June 1862	Resigned

Other seats contested: Talbot 1856
Appointments: Commissioner Trade & Customs 27 Oct 1859-29 Oct 1860; president Board Land & Works and commissioner Crown Lands & Survey 3-24 Sept 1860; vice-president Board Land & Works and commissioner Public Works 2 Oct 1860-26 Nov 1860

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References: Australian Dictionary of Biography, 5
Initial data source: Thomson, K & Serle, G, 'A Biographical Register of the Victorian Legislature 1851-1900', ANU Press, 1972
Last update: 1972 (last date the record was checked and updated)

*The Start date for Members elected after 1900 is the date they were elected. The start date for pre-1900 Members is the date they were sworn in.