James Norton

Career

Admitted to practise in England, he arrived in Sydney in September 1818 where only four other attorneys were then practising. He held land at Mulgoa which was farmed and owned Elswick, a 30 ha estate in what is now Leichhardt where he grew prize flowers and plants. James Norton was born on 27 July 1795 in Hastings, Sussex, England.

After legal training, he was admitted as an attorney.

Signing on as captain"s clerk, he arrived at Portuguese Jackson in September 1818 per the Maria with capital of £800. He joined a small legal profession in Sydney: the list of the attorneys of the colony in the New South Wales Pocket Almanac for 1819 read "Thomas Wylde Esq, West H Moore Esq, Frederic Garling Esq, T South Amos Esq, and James Norton Esq." On 6 April 1821, three large land grants were made at Mulgoa to the Norton family: John Norton was granted 800 acres (320 ha) which he called Goves.

Nathaniel Norton, 800 acres (320 ha), Fairlight. And James Norton, 950 acres (380 ha), Northend which he farmed.

Before the legal profession in New South Wales was divided in 1829, he appeared as counsel for the Crown in a number of significant cases.

Achievements

• The main street of Leichhardt is named in his honour. The 30 hectare Elswick estate was bounded by Parramatta Road, Norton Street, Marion Street and Elswick Street, Leichhardt. In 1882, it was sub-divided and offered as 600 lots.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Australian essays on subjects political, moral and religious

    (This book was digitized and reprinted from the collection...)

Membership

He was a member of the first Legislative Council under responsible government in New South Wales in 1856 and drafted numerous laws. He was a leading Sydney member of the Anti-Transportation League and a protectionist in whose cause he published a series of pamphlets.