Members of the Tasmanian Legislative Council, 1885–1891
This is a list of members of the Tasmanian Legislative Council between 1885 and 1891. Terms of the Legislative Council did not coincide with Legislative Assembly elections, and members served six-year terms, with a number of members facing election each year.
1 On 20 November 1885, following the creation of the seat of Russell in north-western Tasmania, William Moore, the member for Mersey, transferred to the seat. His old seat was filled by James Smith.
2 In December 1885, a redistribution of the Council occurred.
The Jordan division was abolished and largely recreated as Macquarie; the member for Jordan, James Agnew, was required to stand for an extraordinary election on 18 February 1886, at which he was reelected.
A new two-member division of Launceston was created while Tamar changed from a two-member to a single-member division.
3 When the second seat in Tamar was abolished, the incumbent, James Aikenhead, retired. At the resulting Launceston by-election on 21 December 1895, William Hart was elected.
5 An extraordinary election for the second Launceston seat was declared for 13 July 1886. Tamar MHA John Scott resigned to contest it, and hence by-elections for both Tamar and Launceston were required. Scott was elected in Launceston, whilst Audley Coote was elected in Tamar.
6 In January 1886, Thomas Smart, one of the three members for Hobart, resigned. George Salier won the resulting by-election on 8 February 1886.