The Dictionary of Australasian Biography/Derham, Hon. Frederick Thomas
Derham, Hon. Frederick Thomas, ex-Postmaster-General, Victoria, son of Thomas Plumley Derham and Sarah his wife, is a native of Bristol, England, was born on Jan. 8th, 1844, and arrived in Victoria in 1856. He is a member of the well-known firm of Swallow & Derham, formerly Swallow & Ariell, biscuit manufacturers, and was elected a member of the Legislative Assembly for Sandridge, now Port Melbourne, in Feb. 1883, being re-elected at the general elections in Feb. 1886 and March 1889. He was sworn of the Executive Council on Feb. 20th, 1886, on his accepting the office of Postmaster-General in the Gillies-Deakin Government—a post which he held till August 1890, when he resigned. Whilst at the head of the Victorian Post Office he was instrumental in introducing a number of valuable reforms. Mr. Derham married Miss Frances D. Swallow. At the general election in April 1892 Mr. Derham was defeated at Port Melbourne, and is now out of Parliament.