Alexander McArthur

Alexander McArthur (10 March 1814 – 1 August 1909) was an Irish-born Australian and British businessman. He was a politician in both countries. Early life and career Alexander McArthur was born on 10 March 1814 in Enniskillen, Ireland, to Wesleyan minister John McArthur and Sarah McArthur . He was privately educated and, in 1830, was apprenticed to a merchant in Omagh. After being struck by severe fevers, McArthur arrived at Sydney on 24 January 1842. He began business with a consignment from his brother William before becoming partners with William Little and James H. Atkinson and returning to Ireland in 1848, where he founded the softgood merchants W. and A. McArthur & Co. in 1850. Returning to Sydney the following year, McArthur worked as a shipping agent and profited greatly from gold exports. W. and A. McArthur built a large warehouse in the city and opened branches in Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland. On 19 August 1853, McArthur married Maria Bowden, the daughter of William Binnington Boyce, in the Toxteth Park Chapel. Living together at Strathmore, Glebe Point, they had two daughters and six sons, the eldest of which was the British politician William Alexander McArthur. After visiting England 1854–55, McArthur served on the Sydney Chamber of Commerce, as director of many building societies and insurance and mining companies, and as justice of the peace, and became a shareholder in the Australian Joint Stock Bank.