Former
Speakers

Sir Charles MacMahon
1824-1891
Speaker: 1871-1877, 1880
Legislative Assembly: 1861-1864, 1866-1878, 1880-1886

Charles MacMahon was born at Omagh, County Tyrone, Ireland, and served in the army in Canada and India. He retired with the rank of captain and joined the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1851. He arrived in Melbourne in October 1852 and in 1853 became Assistant Commissioner of the new police force. In 1854 he acted as Chief Commissioner while W.H.F. Mitchell (q.v.) was absent in England, and became Chief Commissioner in 1856. It was during MacMahon's period as Assistant and Chief Commissioner that the police force was re-organised and a police manual was compiled, although he was also subject to criticism at the time of the Eureka Stockade.

MacMahon's resignation from the police force in July 1858 occurred as the result of a dispute with his departmental head, John O'Shanassy. MacMahon had been a Member of the old Legislative Council in 1853-56, and re-entered politics after his resignation.

From August 1861 to August 1864 he held the Legislative Assembly seat of West Bourke, and was also a Minister without portfolio in the O'Shanassy Ministry between November 1861 and June 1863. He then represented West Melbourne in the Legislative Assembly from 1866 to 1878, and from 1880 to 1886. He was Speaker from 1871 to 1877, and again in 1880, and was knighted in 1875. He was defeated for the Speakership in 1877 when the Berry faction was returned to office with a large majority after a general election during which he had been accused of being a corrupt Speaker, unduly favouring the McCulloch Ministry of 1875-1877.

MacMahon retired from politics in 1886 and died at East Melbourne five years later. He had been married twice, first to Sophie Campbell and secondly to Clara Webster. He had no children.