Bernhard Ringrose Wise | |
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![]() Wise in 1898 at the Australasian Federal Convention, Melbourne | |
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for South Sydney | |
In office 5 February 1887 – 19 January 1889 | |
Preceded by | Joseph Olliffe |
Succeeded by | William Traill |
In office 17 June 1891 – 25 June 1894 | |
Preceded by | Walter Edmunds |
Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Sydney-Flinders | |
In office 17 July 1894 – 5 July 1895 | |
Preceded by | New seat |
Succeeded by | Arthur Nelson |
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Ashfield | |
In office 27 July 1898 – 30 October 1900 | |
Preceded by | Thomas Bavister |
Succeeded by | Frederick Winchcombe |
Personal details | |
Born | Petersham, New South Wales | 10 February 1858
Died | 19 September 1916 Kensington, London, England | (aged 58)
Resting place | Brookwood Cemetery |
Political party | Free Trade Party |
Spouse | Lilian Margaret Baird (1884–1916) |
Children | 1 son |
Alma mater | University of Oxford |
Bernhard Ringrose Wise KC (10 February 1858 – 19 September 1916), commonly referred to as B. R. Wise, was an Australian politician. He was a social reformer, seen by some as a traitor to his class, but who was not fully accepted by the labor Movement. He said, "My failure in Sydney has been so complete—my qualities those which Australia does not recognise, my defects those which Australians dislike most." When he died, William Holman said, "There is hardly anything in our public life which we have to consider to-day that cannot be traced back to his brilliant mind and clear foresight … [Wise] held undisputed supremacy as the foremost debater, foremost thinker and foremost public man in the life of New South Wales".[1]