Francis Arthur "Old Frank" Byrne (1837 – 30 June 1923) was Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the electoral district of Hay 1898–1903.
He was born in Singleton, New South Wales to Peter Byrne, a miner, and Sarah née Whybrow,[1] and had a very limited education.
[1] He was engaged in the coach business with Cobb and Co., for some time at Castlemaine before settling in the Riverina district around 1870, working mostly at Balranald, Wilcannia and Hay.
He was interested in current affairs, read newspapers voraciously, and with his genial manner, excellent memory and huge fund of anecdotes was popular with a broad range of the travelling public.
[2] With health improving, he attempted to re-enter parliament for the seat of Murray in 1907, but was unsuccessful,[6] and retired to the Sydney suburb of Newtown.