Alban Riley

Riley was born at {{NSWcity|Balmain}} to softgoods merchant Alban Joseph Riley and Juliana Lyons. He was educated privately at {{NSWcity|Maitland}}, and in 1859 was apprenticed to a draper. He established his own branches around 1868 at {{NSWcity|Bathurst}} and in 1874 at Maitland. On 4 October 1870 he married Eleanor Harriett Birkenhead,{{cite AuDB |id2=riley-alban-joseph-4479 |title=Riley, Alban Joseph |last=Rutledge |first=Martha|date=1976}} the second daughter of William and Hannah Birkenhead, at Sydney.{{cite web |url=https://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/riley_alban_joseph |title=Riley, Alban Joseph |last=McCormack |first=Terri |date=2011 |work=Dictionary of Sydney |publisher=Dictionary of Sydney Trust |access-date=2021-09-02}} {{CC-notice|cc=bysa2}}

In 1878 he visited India, Palestine, Europe and England. He established an export drapery business, AJ Riley & Co, with branches in London, Paris and Sydney. His private residence was Tulloona, in Gloucester Avenue, {{NSWcity|Burwood}}.

File:(1) Corn Exchange 1.JPG

Riley was a Burwood alderman in 1884. He served on Sydney City Council from 1885 to 1891 and was mayor in 1887. He first stood for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly at the 1885 election for Canterbury, but was unsuccessful by a margin of 133 votes (0.8%).{{cite NSW election |year=1885 |district=Canterbury |access-date=20 April 2020}} In 1887 he was elected to the Legislative Assembly as a Free Trade member for South Sydney, finishing at the head of the poll, but was defeated in 1889 with a swing to the Protectionists.{{cite NSW election|title=Elections for the District of South Sydney |year=DistrictIndexes |district=SouthSydney |access-date=2020-10-25}} Appointed to the New South Wales Legislative Council in 1891, he was forced to resign in 1893 when he was declared bankrupt.{{cite news|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article227081192|title=A big bankruptcy |date=24 November 1893 |newspaper=The Australian Star |access-date=19 March 2019 |page=5 |via=Trove}} He was alleged to have continued trading and obtaining credit despite his bankruptcy.

Riley died at his home Tulloona, Park Road, Burwood on {{death date and age|24 July 1914|8 June 1844|df=y}},{{cite NSW Parliament |title=Mr Alban Joseph Riley (1844-1914) |id=836 |former=Yes |access-date=13 May 2019}}{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15525176 |title=Family Notices |date=25 July 1914 |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=19 March 2019 |page=18 |via=Trove}}{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article121432731 |title=Death of Mr A J Riley |date=27 July 1914 |newspaper=The Maitland Daily Mercury |access-date=19 March 2019 |page=4 |via=Trove}} survived by Eleanor,{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16018103 |title=Death of Mrs A J Riley |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=10 August 1922 |access-date=2 September 2021 |page=4 |via=Trove}} five sons and five daughters. He was buried in Rookwood Cemetery on 26 July 1914.{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15525711 |title=Funeral of Mr A J Riley |date=27 July 1914 |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=19 March 2019 |page=10 |via=Trove}}

The Corn Exchange built in 1887 has his name and that he was mayor in 1887 over the corner door.

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Alban Joseph Riley}}

• {{cite news|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133941468 |title=State celebrities |date=7 December 1912 |newspaper=The Wollondilly Press |access-date=19 March 2019 |page=3 |via=Trove}}
• {{Cite web|url=http://www.sydneyaldermen.com.au/alderman/alban-riley/|title=Alban Joseph Riley|website=City of Sydney}}
• {{cite news|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71678443 |title=Political |date=25 June 1887 |newspaper=Australian Town and Country Journal |page=13 |via=Trove}}

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{{s-bef |before4=James Toohey |before=John Davies |before2=Archibald Forsyth |before3=Joseph Olliffe}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member for South Sydney | years=1887–1889 |with3=James Toohey |with=Bernhard Wise |with2=George Withers}}

{{s-aft |after4=James Toohey |after=Walter Edmunds |after2=James Martin |after3=William Traill}}

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{{s-bef|before=John Young}}

{{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Sydney | years=1887}}

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Category:1844 births

Category:1914 deaths

Category:Colony of New South Wales people

Category:Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly

Category:Free Trade Party politicians

Category:Mayors and Lord Mayors of Sydney

Category:Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council