AustLit

Jospeh J. Harpur was the elder brother of the poet Charles Harpur. During the 1840s and 1850s he was active in colonial politics, and was one of a number of radicals who called for an end to transportation, the introduction of responsible government, and land reform. A friend of Henry Parkes (q.v.), he wrote many of the editorials on land reform which appeared in the Empire during Parkes's term as proprietor. Harpur later entered electoral politics, and held the seat of Patrick's Plains, in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly (1861-1863). At the time of his death he was employed in the New South Wales Lands Department.