Boyd Morehead
10th Premier of Queensland
In office 30 November 1888 – 12 August 1890
Preceded by	Sir Thomas McIlwraith
Succeeded by	Samuel Griffith
Constituency	Balonne
Born	24 August 1843(1843-08-24) Sydney, New South Wales
Died	30 October 1905 (aged 62) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Annabella Campbell Ranken Ethel Seymour

Boyd Dunlop Morehead (24 August 1843 – 30 October 1905) was premier of Queensland, Australia from November 1888 to June 1890.

[edit] Early life

Boyd Morehead was born in Sydney, New South Wales, the second son and child of two sons and two daughters (and the only son to reach full adulthood) of businessman Robert Archibald Alison Morehead and his wife Helen Buchanan, née Dunlop. He was educated at Sydney Grammar School and matriculated at University of Sydney in 1860. He, however, did not continue at the university but joined the Bank of New South Wales, where he obtained some training in finance. He then entered the service of the Australian Investments Company and as a station inspector visited Queensland in 1866.

[edit] Political career

Morehead remained in Queensland and in 1871 was elected a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for the Mitchell district, a positioon he held until December 1880. In 1873 he founded the well-known firm of B. D. Morehead and Company, general merchants, and stock and station agents, which afterwards became Moreheads Limited. In December 1880 he joined the first Thomas McIlwraith government as postmaster-general but resigned in August 1883. Morehead was member of Balonne from October 1883 to April 1896. When Samuel Griffith came into power in November 1883, Morehead was appointed leader of the opposition and held this position for some years. McIlwraith became premier again in June 1888 with Morehead as colonial secretary, and when McIlwraith resigned in November, Morehead succeeded him as premier and colonial secretary. Morehead was an opponent of Women's suffrage^[1] Morehead resigned in August 1890 and made a long visit to Europe. The 1893 financial crisis caused heavy losses for Morehead's share investements. Also in 1893 he declined the agent-generalship, and in 1896 entered the legislative council and remained a member until his death from a cerebral haemorrhage on 30 October 1905 at a private hospital in Gregory Terrace, Brisbane.

Morehead was a humorous man, not an outstanding leader, but a prominent member of the Queensland parliament for over 30 years.

[edit] Family

Morehead was married twice. His first wife was Annabella Campbell, née Ranken, whom he married at Lockyersleigh, Goulburn, on 4 June 1873, and with whom he had seven daughters. His second wife was Ethel, née Seymour, whom he married in Brisbane on 3 April 1895, and with whom he had one daughter.

[edit] References

• 'Morehead, Boyd Dunlop (1843 - 1905)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol. 5, MUP, 1974, pp 284-285. Retrieved 2009-10-15 and NSW Birth Death & Marriages retrived 2009-12-10
• Serle, Percival (1949). "Morehead, Boyd Dunlop". Dictionary of Australian Biography. Sydney: Angus and Robertson. http://gutenberg.net.au/dictbiog/0-dict-biogMa-Mo.html#morehead1. 

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