Former
Speakers

Sir Francis Murphy
1809-1891
Speaker: 1856-1871
Legislative Assembly: 1856-1871
Legislative Council: 1871-1876

Francis Murphy was born in Cork, Ireland, trained as a doctor in Cork, Dublin and London, and emigrated to Sydney in June 1836. He was initially appointed colonial surgeon for the Bungonia district in 1837, but soon relinquished medicine for his agricultural and pastoral interests. In 1840 he married Agnes Reid, and in 1847 they moved to Port Phillip and took over the Tarrawingee run on the Ovens River.

After separation from New South Wales, Murphy became a Member of the Legislative Council for the Murray district. When the Council met in November 1851 he was elected Chairman of Committees, a position he held until March 1853 when he became President of the Central Roads Board. He remained a Member of the Legislative Council until 1855 and was involved in the debates on the form of the proposed new constitution. When Victoria achieved responsible government in 1856 he was elected to the Legislative Assembly in the seat of Murray Boroughs: he held that seat until 1866, and between 1866 and 1871 held the seat of Grenville. For the whole period he held the position of Speaker. In the first election for Speaker, Murphy undertook to follow the English precedent of not engaging in debate, and in practice he was an impartial and firm Speaker. Murphy sold his property, Tarrawingee, in 1853 and moved to a house at Collingwood with his family. He was knighted in 1860. Although he lost the seat of Grenville in 1871, later that year he won Eastern Province in the Legislative Council, which he held until his retirement in November 1876.

He died at South Yarra on 30 March 1891, and was survived by his wife, three sons and six daughters.