He was well regarded by both sides of politics, for Labour politicians judged that the establishment of the State clothing factory during his administration had a great influence in abolishing sweating, and that the right to women to vote for New South Wales parliament, although not to stand for it, was also introduced.

[1] The governor of New South Wales at the time of his Premiership, the 7th Earl of Beauchamp, privately judged See to be "a self made man of good heart but a most pushing and disagreeable manner".

[2] See was the son of Joseph See, a farm-labourer, and his wife Mary Ann née Bailey, and was born in Yelling, Huntingdon, England.

He became a director of several well-known companies, a trustee of the Savings Bank of New South Wales, and president of the Royal Agricultural Society.

From August 1894 until September 1899, George Reid was in power, but when William Lyne came in, See was his Colonial Secretary.

On the other hand, poor economic conditions and drought forced the government to abandon an ambitious public works program.

[1] See is buried in the Church of England section of what was then known as Long Bay Cemetery[5] (now Randwick cemetery) along with members of his family including his wife Charlotte who died 3 years before him; infant children Percy aged 10 weeks, John Bruce aged 13 months, along with a grandson named Charles Bryen, the youngest son of John Charles Matthews See and his wife Constance L. née Bryen.