Sir Philip Oakley Fysh (1 March 1835 – 20 December 1919) was an English-born Australian politician. He arrived in Tasmania in 1859 and became a leading merchant in Hobart. He served two terms as premier of Tasmania (1877–1878, 1887–1892) and became a leader of the colony's federation movement. He subsequently won election to the new federal House of Representatives (1901–1910) and was invited to represent Tasmania in the first federal ministry, serving as minister without portfolio (1901–1903) and Postmaster-General (1903–1904).
Early life Fysh was born on 1 March 1835 in Highbury, London, England. He was the son of Charlotte () and John Fysh. His father's family were originally from Norfolk.
Fysh attended school in Denmark Hill until the age of thirteen and subsequently began working as an office boy for a stockbroker. After two years he began working as a clerk for L. Stevenson & Sons, a shipping firm. After ten years of service, Fysh was appointed manager of Stevenson & Sons' agency in the colony of Tasmania. He arrived in Hobart in 1859 alongside his brother Frederick Fysh.
In 1862, during an economic downturn, Fysh bought out his employer's business and established P. O. Fysh & Co., a general merchant firm. He was said to have been "the leading wholesale businessman in Hobart".
Colonial politics A Protectionist, Fysh was a member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council from 1866 to 1869, 1870 to 1873, 1884 to 1894, and of the Tasmanian House of Assembly from 1873 to 1878 (where he was treasurer in the Alfred Kennerley ministry until March 1875) and 1894 to 1899. Fysh became Premier and Chief Secretary of Tasmania in 1877, serving initially until 1878 and returning to the positions in 1887, serving to 1892.
Federal politics Fysh was elected to the Australian House of Representatives in 1901 as a member for Division of Tasmania and was minister without portfolio until 1903. After Tasmania was split into five electoral divisions in 1903, Fysh was elected for the Division of Denison, based on Hobart. He was Postmaster-General 1903–04. He retired in 1910.
Personal life
In 1856, Fysh married Esther Kentish Willis, with whom he had five sons and five daughters. He was predeceased by a daughter in 1899 and was widowed in 1912. His brother-in-law William Willis was a British MP,Dod's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 1901, S. Low, Marston & Co., p. 376 while his great-nephew Hudson Fysh was a founder of Qantas.
Fysh died on 20 December 1919 in Sandy Bay, Tasmania.
Fysh was married under the rites of the Dissenters. In Hobart he was a member of the Davey Street Congregational Church.
Honours Fysh was created a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in January 1896. The Canberra suburb of Fyshwick was named after him.
See also Barton Ministry
References