Barrister

Born Ireland and arrived in Melbourne with his family in 1850. As a young man Wrixon studied law in both Ireland and Victoria. He was called to the Irish Bar in 1861 and was admitted to the Victorian Bar in 1863. He subsequently set up a law practice in Melbourne and was appointed QC in 1890. Wrixon was elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1868, campaigning as a reformer of the controversial land laws and of the Legislative Council. He was solicitor-general in the McCulloch ministry in 1870-71.  In 1880 he stood successfully for the seat of Portland and held it until his resignation in 1894. During his period in the Legislative Assembly Wrixon was attorney-general from 1886 to 1890 and a delegate to the Federal Convention in 1891, and was narrowly defeated by Thomas Bent for the Speakership. . In 1894 he was a delegate to the Colonial Conference in Canada, and was also commissioned by the Victorian government to investigate socialist movements in the Pacific, Canada, the United States and England. On his return to Victoria in 1896 Wrixon entered the legislative Council as a member for the South-Western Province. In 1901 he was elected President but, consistent with his radical principles, continued his opposition to class privilege. Although opposing socialism he supported political equality. He was also a devout Anglican; Wrixon resigned from the legislative Council in 1910, and died three years later at his home Raheen in Kew.