The Dictionary of Australasian Biography/Quick, John
Quick, John, LL.D., is the son of John Quick, of Trevassa, St. Ives, Cornwall, where he was born on April 14th, 1852. He was taken to Victoria in 1854 by his father, who settled at Bendigo (Sandhurst). He was brought up to engineering, and then became a compositor. Later on he was an engine-driver in a mine. From the typographical department he subsequently advanced to the literary, and, having learned short-hand, was a reporter first on the Bendigo Independent and afterwards on the Bendigo Advertiser. He then went to Melbourne, and became a reporter on the Age, studying meanwhile at the Melbourne University, where he graduated B.A. in Dec. 1877. The next year he became law reporter on the Age and was admitted to the Victorian Bar in June. Having in the meantime become leader of the Age parliamentary reporting staff, he in July 1880 contested Sandhurst for a seat in the Assembly, and was returned, defeating Mr. John McIntyre. He then resigned his position on the Age. In June 1882 he took the degree of LL.D. at Melbourne University, and in Feb. of the next year was re-elected for Sandhurst. In March he was offered a seat in the Service-Berry coalition Cabinet, but declined to accept office, though, it is remarkable, three other former members of the Age staff took portfolios, viz., Messrs. Deakin, Dow, and Pearson. In 1883 Dr. Quick published a "History of Land Tenure in Victoria." At the general election in 1886 he was re-elected for Sandhurst, but was defeated in 1889, and has not since re-entered Parliament nor taken much part in politics.