Thomas Gregson

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Thomas Gregson
2nd Premier of Tasmania
In office
26 February 1857 – 25 April 1857
GovernorSir Henry Young
Preceded byWilliam Champ
Succeeded byWilliam Weston
Personal details
Born
Thomas George Gregson

(1796-02-07)7 February 1796
Buckton, Northumberland, England, UK
Died4 January 1874(1874-01-04) (aged 77)
Risdon, Tasmania, Australia
ChildrenJohn Compton Gregson

Thomas George Gregson (7 February 1796 – 4 January 1874) was the second Premier of Tasmania, serving from 26 February 1857 until 25 April 1857.

Early life

Gregson was born in

Governor Arthur
for the liberty of the press.

Political career

In July 1842 Gregson became a member of the

governor, colonial secretary, colonial treasurer and attorney-general. The William Champ ministry resigned and Gregson became premier and colonial secretary. But he was found to be unsuitable for his office; he lacked moderation, self-control and tact, and his government was defeated about eight weeks later. He was never in office again, though often a turbulent critic of other administrations. In January 1862 he was more than once committed to the custody of the sergeant-at-arms and was once expelled from the house. He retired from parliament not long before his death at Risdon on 4 January 1874. He was survived by his wife and two spinster daughters; a son John Compton Gregson
(died 1867) was a Hobart barrister and attorney-general in the Gregson cabinet.

Legacy

Gregson was also an amateur artist and exhibited at the first art exhibitions held in Hobart in 1845 and 1846. He is represented in the Beattie collection at Launceston by a sketch of the Rev. Robert Knopwood on his white horse. He worked hard for the good of the colony to the neglect of his own interests for he died comparatively poor. Gregson was particularly important as a reformer in his early days, fighting for the liberty of the press, for trial by jury, and the abolishment of penal transportation. His 58 days in office marks the shortest tenure of any Tasmanian Premier.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thomas Gregson.
  • F. C. Green, 'Gregson, Thomas George (1796 - 1874)',
    MUP
    , 1966, pp 475–476. Retrieved on 28 December 2008
  • Serle, Percival (1949). "Gregson, Thomas George". Dictionary of Australian Biography. Sydney: Angus & Robertson. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
  • "Gregson, Thomas". Members of the Parliament of Tasmania. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
Political offices
Preceded by Premier of Tasmania
1857 		Succeeded by
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