Date of Birth: 01/01/1842
Place of Birth: Glasgow, Scotland
Date of Death: 04/11/1925
Place of Death: Lakemba, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Refreshment Committee No. 5 |
11 Mar 1914 |
18 Apr 1914 |
1 month 8 days |
|
Member for Rozelle |
06 Dec 1913 |
21 Feb 1917 |
3 years 2 months 16 days |
|
System of Discrimination in Freight Charges on the Railways Committee No.21 |
14 Nov 1911 |
28 Mar 1912 |
4 months 15 days |
|
Daylight Saving Principle Committee No.15 |
12 Oct 1911 |
28 Mar 1912 |
5 months 17 days |
|
Claims of Harry K.Carpenter Committee No.14 |
10 Oct 1911 |
22 Nov 1911 |
1 month 13 days |
|
Claims of Harry K.Carpenter Committee No.16 |
18 Jul 1911 |
01 Aug 1911 |
15 days |
|
Daylight Saving Principle Committee No.11 |
28 Jun 1911 |
01 Aug 1911 |
1 month 5 days |
|
Member for Rozelle |
14 Oct 1910 |
06 Nov 1913 |
3 years 24 days |
|
Member for Rozelle |
10 Sep 1907 |
14 Sep 1910 |
3 years 5 days |
|
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly |
10 Sep 1907 |
21 Feb 1917 |
9 years 5 months 12 days |
|
Political Party Activity
Australian Labor Party (ALP). Member of the Rozelle Branch; member of the central executive 1905 - 1909. Left the party over conscription.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Insurance agent. Left school at an early stage and was apprenticed to a woodcarver in Sheffield, England. For about twelve years he was a paid lay reader for the Church of England in Sheffield and Plymouth. Arrived in Queensland in 1883 and after two years moved to Sydney. From 1885 until 1896 he was a caretaker at the Seaman's Institute at Circular Quay; he was also an insurance agent; moved to Rozelle and then to Lakemba; president of Burns Anniversary Club; Good Templar.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of William Mercer, tobacco spinner, and his wife Grace Dixon. Married (1) Rachel Fearnley in c.1867 in England and had issue, 2 sons and 2 daughters. Married (2) Mary Ann Burley in c.1907 in Melbourne, Victoria. Married (3) Margaret Stewart in c.1915 in Melbourne, Victoria. Buried in the Church of England section of Waverley Cemetery.