Australian Dictionary of Biography

Richard Arnold, 1915

State Library of New South Wales, 16228

Richard Aldous Arnold (1849-1923), public servant, was born on 9 February 1849 at Stradbrook, Paterson River, New South Wales, eldest son of William Munnings Arnold, and his wife Ellen Augusta, née Smith. After private tuition he was educated at Rugby School, England, then spent a year in Germany and returned to Sydney late in 1866. On 3 January 1867 he joined the public service and in May became a clerk in the roads branch of the Department of Public Works at £200 a year. In October 1868 he was temporarily transferred to the Legislative Assembly staff and became permanent next January. Advancement was rapid while his father was Speaker: after two promotions he became clerk of select committees in February 1873, then clerk of records in May, and his salary rose to £400. He was joined on the staff by two brothers.

An enthusiastic sportsman, Arnold help to organize Rugby football in the colony. He founded in 1870 and captained the Wallaroo Club and from 1874 was an office-bearer of the Southern Union (later New South Wales Rugby Football Union). In 1868 he had joined the Volunteer Artillery as a gunner; in 1871-78 he was second lieutenant attached to No.4 Battery and indulged his interest in rifle-shooting. He was a founder in 1872 and later secretary of the Sydney Amateur Athletic Club.

On 21 April 1881 at the parish church, Lower Sydenham, Kent, England, Arnold married Annie Emma, daughter of William Kent, late manager of Jondaryan station, Queensland. In 1888 he was promoted assistant clerk of the Legislative Assembly at £750 and in February 1904 he was appointed clerk. He soon made the sensible innovation of combining certain common papers of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council into joint volumes, but most of his years as clerk were quiet. The framework established during the great reforms to Standing Orders in 1885-95 endured for forty years: Arnold's task was consolidation as the State parliament adjusted to the Federal system. Although he was somewhat overshadowed by J. J. Calvert, the long-serving clerk of the parliaments, relations with his staff and the Speakers he served were usually harmonious. In 1910 he edited Speaker W. McCourt's decisions and in 1910-11 managed smoothly the election and tenure of J. H. Cann, the first Labor Speaker.

However in 1911-13 Arnold had considerable differences with H. Willis, whose passionate but misguided notions of a Speaker's position and administrative powers led to clashes; he privately complained that 'at no time' did Willis ask him 'for advice, assistance, or opinion' about staff arrangements but rather 'put me on my trial'. Arnold took nine months leave on full pay in 1911 but disagreements continued throughout Willis's term.

Arnold retired in April 1916 and lived at North Sydney until about 1921. He died of chronic nephritis at Bowral on 23 May 1923 and was buried in the Church of England cemetery. He was survived by two sons and three daughters who inherited his estate, valued for probate at £8138.