2 ▁years ▁as ▁the ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁Sydney ▁Im prov ement ▁Board . ▁In ▁August , ▁ 1 8 9 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁a ▁seat ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁Legisl ative ▁Council , ▁which ▁he ▁retained ▁until ▁his ▁death . ▁Although ▁not ▁a ▁union ▁official ▁or ▁a ▁Labour ▁candidate , ▁his ▁sympath ies ▁were ▁at ▁all ▁times ▁with ▁the ▁workers . ▁He ▁was ▁truly ▁dem ocr atic , ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁follow er ▁of ▁John ▁Rus kin ▁and ▁other ▁workers ▁for ▁the ▁am el ior ation ▁of ▁society . ▁He ▁also ▁identified ▁himself ▁with ▁the ▁Pitt ▁Town ▁S ett lement , ▁and ▁was ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁control ▁to ▁look ▁after ▁the ▁affairs ▁of ▁the ▁settlement . ▁Back house ▁made ▁several ▁tri ps ▁to ▁England . ▁On ▁one ▁occasion ▁he ▁had ▁a ▁long ▁conference ▁with ▁William ▁Glad stone ▁and ▁at ▁another ▁time ▁he ▁was ▁hon oured ▁by ▁being ▁elected ▁an ▁honor ary ▁associate ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Institute ▁of ▁British ▁Arch itect s . ▁ ▁Later ▁life ▁ ▁Benjamin ▁Back house ▁died ▁of ▁heart ▁failure ▁at ▁his ▁residence , ▁Ar d ath , ▁Queen ' s ▁Avenue , ▁R ush cut ters ▁Bay , ▁Sydney , ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁July ▁ 1 9 0 4 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁twice ▁married , ▁and ▁left ▁a ▁wid ow ▁and ▁grown - up ▁family , ▁number ing ▁ 1 1 . ▁His ▁sons ▁were ▁District ▁Court ▁Judge ▁Alfred ▁Pa xt on ▁Back house , ▁min ing ▁engineer ▁Frank