James Oatley (New South Wales politician)

He was born in Sydney, the second son of Staffordshire watchmaker and ex-convict James Oatley and his wife Mary.

He was appointed to the Cooks River Road Trust in 1849, and was a member of the Australian Patriotic Association, and Officer of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

[1] In 1864 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Canterbury, serving until his retirement in 1869.

[2] Following the death of his first wife Eleanor, Oatley married Margaret Curtis on 29 September 1870 at St Peter's church, Cooks River, and they had one daughter.

[1] Oatley died at his Bourke Street home in Woolloomooloo on 31 December 1878(1878-12-31) (aged 61) and was buried at Camperdown Cemetery.