Date of Birth: 12/10/1867
Place of Birth: One Tree Hill, Victoria, Australia
Date of Death: 12/03/1943
Place of Death: Richmond, Victoria, Australia
Parliamentary Service
| Member of the NSW Legislative Council |
10 Nov 1936 |
12 Mar 1943 |
6 years 4 months 3 days |
A Member of the indirectly elected Council 1934 - 1978. Date of Election 10 November 1936. Casual vacancy – elected for balance of term of service of Hon. J.F Higgins, deceased. |
| Member of the NSW Legislative Council |
30 Aug 1921 |
22 Apr 1934 |
12 years 7 months 24 days |
Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 30 August 1921. |
Political Party Activity
Australian Labor Party (ALP). Member of the central executive from 1913 until 1915, 1920 until 1921; Federal Labor in 1930s.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Shearer and union official. Educated at Home Rule public school; worked in back country of New South Wales and in Queensland mining, fencing, droving and shearing; foundation member of Australian Workers' Union in 1884, organiser in 1895, secretary of Victorian Riverina branch from 1900 until 1909, first at St Arnaud, moving to Ballarat in 1905, resigned in 1909; employed as a special traveller with Burgon and Ball for eighteen months; established his own business but shortly afterwards became assistant secretary then general secretary of the Australian Workers' Union from 1912 until 1940; managing director of Labor Papers Limited from 1918 until 1924; repatriation commissioner from 1915 until 1918; member of Industrial Mission to the United States of America in 1927, and of the Federal Wool Inquiry Committee in 1927.
Honours Received
Order of the British Empire (OBE).
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of John Baptist, Canadian migrant. Married Margaret Welsh on 12 February 1901 and had issue, 2 daughters and 2 sons. Funeral at Melbourne cemetery from St Ignatius Roman Catholic church in Richmond.
