Richard Bingham Sheridan (1822–1897)

Maryborough’s First Customs Sub-Collector

As Maryborough’s first customs sub-collector, Richard Bingham Sheridan had remarkable insight into life in the town during the 19th century. He lived and worked in Maryborough for more than 30 years, shaping its growth and playing a key role in the town’s early development during a period of rapid change.

Early Life and Career

Born in Ireland in 1822, Sheridan arrived in Australia in 1842 at the age of twenty. He began working for the Customs Department in Sydney, and in 1853 he was transferred to Moreton Bay for health reasons.

Richard Bingham Sheridan was the first Customs Sub-Collector appointed for the Port of Maryborough. He also served as Harbour Master, Water Police Magistrate, and Acting Shipping Master. Sheridan arrived in Maryborough on 1 January 1860, overseeing trade, shipping, and port administration from its earliest days as a Port of Entry.

Community Leadership

Sheridan’s influence extended beyond customs. He held multiple key positions in the region and was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly in 1883, representing Maryborough until 1888. He was instrumental in establishing the Maryborough Botanic Gardens and raising funds for the town’s first hospital.

Champion of Fairness

Respected for his integrity, fairness, and humanity, Sheridan was ahead of his time in advocating for the underrepresented. He spoke out for the rights of Aboriginal people and South Sea Island labourers, condemning the brutal treatment they endured on sugar plantations:

“I have very grave and serious misgivings as to the kind of treatment [South Sea Island labourers] employed on plantations, stations, etc. receive from their employers. [In] the short time since my appointment, three complaints of ill treatment have been made to me; in two of the instances alluded to, I am quite certain – although I cannot by white witnesses’ evidence prove – that Polynesians were whipped on different sugar plantations. I saw the marks of the blows cut through the skin in one instance.

[There] is not any regular system of medical treatment of [South Sea Island labourers] on the different plantations, nor is the cause of death in every case satisfactorily [accounted] for; whilst as to burial, I am led to believe that the interment of a South Sea Islander in nowhere differs from the burial of a dog or any other carrion.”

– R. B. Sheridan, 1876

Legacy

Sheridan retired in 1890 and moved to Sydney, where he passed away in 1897. His dedication to public service, social justice, and Maryborough’s development left a lasting mark on the town and the wider region.