Parliamentary activity
Information about members' parliamentary service including their positions held and biography.
Positions
| Position | Start | End | Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member of the NSW Legislative Council | Tue 17 July 1917 | Fri 07 April 1922 | 4 years 8 months 22 days | Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 6 May 1917 |
| Member for Redfern | Sat 06 December 1913 | Wed 21 February 1917 | 3 years 2 months 16 days | |
| Minister for Labour and Industry | Mon 30 June 1913 | Thu 29 January 1914 | 7 months | |
| Parliamentary Accommodation Committee No.14 | Fri 08 November 1912 | Thu 05 December 1912 | 28 days | Chairman |
| Increase in House Rents Committee No.8 | Thu 12 September 1912 | Tue 05 November 1912 | 1 month 25 days | |
| Refreshment Committee No.5 | Wed 07 August 1912 | Thu 05 December 1912 | 3 months 29 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.3 | Wed 07 August 1912 | Thu 05 December 1912 | 3 months 29 days | |
| Library Committee No.4 | Wed 07 August 1912 | Thu 05 December 1912 | 3 months 29 days | |
| Printing Committee No.6 | Wed 07 August 1912 | Wed 04 December 1912 | 3 months 28 days | |
| Colonial Secretary | Mon 27 November 1911 | Sun 29 June 1913 | 1 year 7 months 3 days | |
| System of Discrimination in Freight Charges on the Railways Committee No.21 | Tue 14 November 1911 | Thu 28 March 1912 | 4 months 15 days | |
| Administration of the Rocks resumed Area Committee No.20 | Tue 14 November 1911 | Thu 28 March 1912 | 4 months 15 days | |
| Increase in House Rents Committee No.16 | Tue 17 October 1911 | Mon 25 March 1912 | 5 months 9 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.3 | Wed 30 November 1910 | Fri 23 December 1910 | 24 days | |
| Printing Committee No.6 | Wed 30 November 1910 | Fri 23 December 1910 | 24 days | |
| Refreshment Committee No.5 | Wed 30 November 1910 | Fri 23 December 1910 | 24 days | |
| Library Committee No.4 | Wed 30 November 1910 | Fri 23 December 1910 | 24 days | |
| Premier | Fri 21 October 1910 | Sun 29 June 1913 | 2 years 8 months 9 days | |
| Colonial Treasurer | Fri 21 October 1910 | Sun 26 November 1911 | 1 year 1 month 6 days | |
| Member for Redfern | Fri 14 October 1910 | Thu 06 November 1913 | 3 years 24 days | |
| Lease Conversion and Law Amendment Bill Committee No.7 | Thu 07 July 1910 | Sat 20 August 1910 | 1 month 14 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.3 | Tue 28 June 1910 | Sat 20 August 1910 | 1 month 24 days | |
| Lease Conversion and Law Amendment Bill Committee No.7 | Tue 10 August 1909 | Thu 09 December 1909 | 4 months | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.3 | Wed 14 July 1909 | Fri 17 December 1909 | 5 months 4 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.3 | Wed 05 August 1908 | Sat 19 December 1908 | 4 months 15 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.2 | Fri 13 March 1908 | Sat 11 April 1908 | 30 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.2 | Thu 24 October 1907 | Fri 20 December 1907 | 1 month 27 days | |
| Member for Redfern | Tue 10 September 1907 | Wed 14 September 1910 | 3 years 5 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.4 | Tue 09 July 1907 | Fri 12 July 1907 | 4 days | |
| David Berry Hospital Bill Committee No.14 | Thu 22 November 1906 | Thu 06 December 1906 | 15 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.3 | Tue 10 July 1906 | Tue 18 December 1906 | 5 months 9 days | |
| Sydney Corporation Amendment Bill Committee No.22 | Wed 15 November 1905 | Tue 28 November 1905 | 14 days | |
| Claim of Robert Roberts, late Bookbinder, Registrar-General’s Department Committee No.16 | Tue 12 September 1905 | Wed 25 October 1905 | 1 month 14 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.3 | Wed 28 June 1905 | Sat 09 December 1905 | 5 months 12 days | |
| Government Savings Bill Committee No.13 | Fri 02 December 1904 | Tue 06 December 1904 | 5 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.3 | Wed 21 September 1904 | Wed 09 November 1904 | 1 month 20 days | |
| Member for Redfern | Sat 06 August 1904 | Mon 19 August 1907 | 3 years 14 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.4 | Wed 01 July 1903 | Tue 01 December 1903 | 5 months 1 day | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.4 | Tue 17 June 1902 | Sat 20 December 1902 | 6 months 4 days | |
| Tied Houses Committee No.8 | Thu 22 August 1901 | Wed 18 September 1901 | 28 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.5 | Thu 08 August 1901 | Fri 20 December 1901 | 4 months 13 days | |
| Member for Redfern | Wed 03 July 1901 | Sat 16 July 1904 | 3 years 14 days | |
| Church of England Property Trust, Diocese of Goulburn Committee No.24 | Fri 05 October 1900 | Wed 05 December 1900 | 2 months 1 day | |
| Names for Electorates, Federal Parliament Committee No.17 | Thu 16 August 1900 | Thu 30 August 1900 | 15 days | |
| Dismissal of Mrs. Abraham, Shaftesbury Girls Asylum Committee No. 8 | Tue 03 July 1900 | Sat 01 December 1900 | 4 months 29 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.4 | Wed 20 June 1900 | Tue 24 July 1900 | 1 month 5 days | |
| Case of James Cook and other employees of the Tramway Department Committee No. 23 | Wed 13 December 1899 | Wed 20 December 1899 | 8 days | |
| Claim of Mr Theophilus Stephens- Crown Law Department Committee No. 20 | Tue 21 November 1899 | Thu 30 November 1899 | 10 days | |
| Case of Thomas Buckley – Public Works Department Committee No.17 | Tue 07 November 1899 | Wed 20 December 1899 | 1 month 14 days | |
| Municipal District of Broken Hill Electric Lighting Bill Committee No.9 | Thu 10 August 1899 | Wed 16 August 1899 | 7 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.4 | Tue 08 August 1899 | Sat 23 December 1899 | 4 months 16 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.2 | Thu 13 April 1899 | Fri 21 April 1899 | 9 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.1 | Tue 21 February 1899 | Thu 30 March 1899 | 1 month 10 days | |
| Estate of the late S.M Swift of Petersham Committee No.23 | Tue 13 December 1898 | Thu 22 December 1898 | 10 days | |
| Mort’s Dock and Engineering Company (Limited) Enabling Bill Committee No. 18 | Thu 17 November 1898 | Fri 23 December 1898 | 1 month 7 days | |
| Case of Thomas Buckley, Public Works Department Committee No. 7 | Tue 30 August 1898 | Fri 23 December 1898 | 3 months 24 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No. 3 | Thu 25 August 1898 | Fri 23 December 1898 | 3 months 29 days | |
| Member for Redfern | Wed 27 July 1898 | Tue 11 June 1901 | 2 years 10 months 16 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No. 2 | Tue 28 June 1898 | Fri 08 July 1898 | 11 days | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.2 | Wed 28 April 1897 | Wed 18 August 1897 | 3 months 22 days | |
| Case of Thomas Buckley – Public Works Department Committee No.33 | Tue 20 October 1896 | Mon 16 November 1896 | 28 days | |
| Claim of Mr Theophilus Stephens – Crown Law Department Committee No.34 | Tue 20 October 1896 | Wed 11 November 1896 | 23 days | |
| Old Age Pension Committee No.9 | Tue 16 June 1896 | Wed 16 September 1896 | 3 months 1 day | |
| Standing Orders Committee No.2 | Thu 14 May 1896 | Mon 16 November 1896 | 6 months 3 days | |
| Borough of Redfern Electric Lighting Bill Committee No.11 | Tue 08 October 1895 | Thu 17 October 1895 | 10 days | Chairman |
| Case of Mr A.J.C Single Committee No.9 | Thu 19 September 1895 | Thu 10 October 1895 | 22 days | |
| Standing Orders. Committee No. 2 | Tue 20 August 1895 | Fri 08 July 1898 | 2 years 10 months 19 days | |
| Member for Redfern | Wed 24 July 1895 | Fri 08 July 1898 | 2 years 11 months 15 days | |
| Address of Condolence to Lady Duff. Committee No. 16 | Tue 19 March 1895 | Fri 05 July 1895 | 3 months 17 days | |
| Appropriation Bill. Committee No. 15 | Fri 21 December 1894 | Fri 05 July 1895 | 6 months 15 days | |
| Presbyterian Church Property Management Amendment Bill. Committee No. 10 | Thu 22 November 1894 | Fri 05 July 1895 | 7 months 14 days | |
| Refreshment Committee No. 4 | Wed 29 August 1894 | Fri 05 July 1895 | 10 months 8 days | |
| Member for Redfern | Tue 17 July 1894 | Fri 05 July 1895 | 11 months 19 days | |
| Oxford street Improvement Bill Committee No.8 | Thu 25 January 1894 | Tue 13 February 1894 | 20 days | |
| Refreshment Committee No.5 | Tue 23 January 1894 | Mon 11 June 1894 | 4 months 20 days | |
| Corowa School of Arts Enabling Bill Committee No.9 | Tue 24 October 1893 | Fri 08 December 1893 | 1 month 15 days | |
| Refreshment Committee No.5 | Wed 27 September 1893 | Fri 08 December 1893 | 2 months 12 days | |
| Working of the Government Labour Bureau Committee No.25 | Wed 26 April 1893 | Fri 02 June 1893 | 1 month 8 days | |
| Hay Athenaeum Trustees Enabling Bill Committee No.17 | Thu 19 January 1893 | Wed 01 February 1893 | 14 days | |
| Oxford street Improvement Bill Committee No.13 | Wed 16 November 1892 | Tue 13 June 1893 | 6 months 29 days | |
| Refreshment Committee No.7 | Wed 05 October 1892 | Tue 18 October 1892 | 14 days | |
| Whaling Road, North Sydney Committee No.29 | Mon 21 December 1891 | Thu 17 March 1892 | 2 months 26 days | |
| Refreshment Committee No.4 | Tue 28 July 1891 | Fri 01 April 1892 | 8 months 5 days | |
| Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly | Wed 17 June 1891 | Wed 21 February 1917 | 25 years 8 months 5 days | |
| Member for Redfern | Wed 17 June 1891 | Mon 25 June 1894 | 3 years 9 days |
Biography
Political party activity
Australian Labor Party (ALP). Foundation member, member central executive 1896, 1906-1909, leader 1894-1913, refused endorsement for stand on conscription; stood as Industry Labor 1917; vice president of National Association 1917-1918. First Labor Premier.
Community activity
Commissioned as a Justice of the Peace in 1896
Personal information
Son of James McGowen, boilermaker, and his wife Eliza Ditchfield. Married Emily Towner in c.1887 and had issue, 6 sons and 2 daughters. Church of England.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Boilermaker. Arrival at Melbourne three weeks old; moved with parents to Sydney 1867; little schooling; worked with father bridge building Bathurst, Yass, O'Connell Plains and Aberdeen; apprenticed to boilermaking with P. N. Russell and Co. 1870; after 1873 strike employed at Atlas works later at Fitzroy Dock; joined Boilermakers' Union, became secretary 1874- 1890; delegate to the Trades and Labor Council (TLC) and to Melbourne Congress 1885; joined Railways Department Eveleigh Workshops 1875-1891; president of Eight Hour Committee 1888- 1891, delegate to the Trades and Labor Council (TLC), on executive 1888-1891, instrumental in building of Trades Hall; State Children's Relief Board 1900- 1908; New South Wales film censor (1922); member parliament, delegation to coronation 1911; Chairman of Housing Board (1912); Sunday school superintendent St Paul's Church of England, Redfern.
Additional information
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 10