Background
McArthur was born at Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland, the son of John McArthur, a Wesleyan minister, and his wife Sarah, née Finlay.
McArthur was born at Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland, the son of John McArthur, a Wesleyan minister, and his wife Sarah, née Finlay.
In 1830 he was apprenticed to a merchant in Omagh.
He was a politician in both countries. Early He emigrated to Australia and arrived at Sydney on 24 January 1842. He was a devout Methodist and in 1843 he was elected to the committee of the Wesleyan Auxiliary Missionary Society of New South Wales.
Back in Sydney in 1851, he was very successful as a shipping agent for the export of gold.
His firm built a large warehouse in Sydney and opened branches in Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland. McArthur visited England in 1854 and 1855.
He also became a magistrate. Political In June 1859 McArthur was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Newtown.
He was a free trader and opposed state aid to religion.
After being re-elected for Newtown in December 1860, he resigned in June 1861 when he was appointed to the New South Wales Legislative Council. In 1863 McArthur went to England to take over the London business and as a result vacated his seat through absence in October 1865. McArthur was then a London merchant engaged in colonial trade and lived at Raleigh Hall, Brixton.
He was a J. P. for Surrey and Deputy Lieutenant for the City of London.
He became a Fellow of the Imperial Institute and from 1863 a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. In 1874 he was chosen as Liberal Candidate for Leicester.
In parliament he advocated the annexation of Fiji, stricter oservance of the Sabbath and Home Rule for Ireland. He retired after holding the seat for 18 years in 1892.
In 1898 his firm became a limited liability company and in 1908 was reconstituted after liquidation.
McArthur died at Sydenham, London at the age of 95.
As an "advanced Liberal", his programme had much in common with Joseph Chamberlain"s "New Radicalism" and included the assimilation of the county to the borough franchise, reform of the land laws, abolition of clause 25 of the Education Acting, and legislation against intemperance.
21st United Kingdom Parliament. 22nd United Kingdom Parliament. 23rd United Kingdom Parliament.
24th United Kingdom Parliament]
He was also treasurer of the Young Men"s Christian Association of Sydney and a committee member of the Benevolent Asylum, the New South Wales Auxiliary Bible Society and other charities.
After this, he became a member of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce, took a share in the Australian Joint Stock Bank, and became a director of several building societies, insurance companies and mining companies. He became a member of the Royal Colonial Institute in 1869, and also of the Victoria Institute and the British Association.
From 1870 to 1873 he was a member of the first London School Board. He was elected Member of Parliament for Leciester in 1874.