James McGowen
George V | |
---|---|
Governor | Lord Chelmsford Sir Gerald Strickland |
Preceded by | Charles Wade |
Succeeded by | William Holman |
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Redfern | |
In office 17 June 1891 – 21 February 1917 | |
Preceded by | William Stephen |
Succeeded by | William McKell |
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council | |
In office 17 July 1917 – 7 April 1922 | |
Personal details | |
Born | James Sinclair Taylor McGowen 16 August 1855 at sea |
Died | 7 April 1922 Petersham, New South Wales, Australia | (aged 66)
Spouse |
Emily Towner (m. 1878) |
Occupation | Boilermaker |
James Sinclair Taylor McGowen (16 August 1855 – 7 April 1922) was an Australian politician. He served as premier of New South Wales from 1910 to 1913, the first member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) to hold the position, and was a key figure in the party's early history in New South Wales.
McGowen was
Early life and family
McGowen was the son of James McGowen, a boilermaker, and his wife Eliza Ditchfield, immigrants from
McGowen married Emily Towner in 1878 in Redfern, Sydney.[2]
Political career
In 1891, the
The first Labor parliamentarians in New South Wales were almost as fractious as their fellow parliamentarians from the other parties. McGowen was one of three legislators to sign the "pledge" to abide by party discipline. Thanks to his increasing skill as a parliamentarian, his effective public speaking, and his relative seniority, he became Labor's parliamentary leader in 1894. George Reid's Free Trade Government was dependent on Labor's support. With their support, Reid reduced tariffs, introduced income tax, and eliminated the property qualification for membership of the Legislative Council. McGowan led Labor in its opposition to the Federation Bill produced by the Australasian Constitutional Convention. The party opposed the proposed Constitution on the grounds it was undemocratic. McGowen strongly favoured retaining appeals to the Privy Council from the High Court, but stressed this was his personal view. Labor reconciled itself to the Constitution once it had been approved in referendums across Australia in 1899. McGowen stood for the Federal seat of South Sydney in 1901, but was narrowly defeated.[2]
In December 1907, McGowan and the Labor Party—whose policy preference was nationalisation of the iron and steel industry[4]—moved a last minute amendment that, when carried, led indirectly to the collapse of William Sandford Limited, owners of the Eskbank Ironworks at Lithgow.[5][6]
Premier
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/James_McGowen_Premier.png/170px-James_McGowen_Premier.png)
McGowen's honesty and judiciousness were reassuring to the public, and were major factors in Labor's 1910 election win. He remained Premier until 1913, but was not an effective director of the parliamentary party, preferring to leave most issues of party management to his deputy, William Holman.[2] As well as being Premier, he was also Treasurer during most of 1911 and Chief Secretary from December 1911.
In 1913, while Holman was in England, McGowen attempted to settle a gas workers' strike by threatening to dismiss the strikers and to hire non-union workers in their stead. This threat antagonised most of the state ALP, and when Holman returned to Australia in June 1913, he organised McGowen's overthrow.[2] McGowen became Minister for Labour and Industry in Holman's first cabinet, holding this post until January 1914.[1]
The McGowen government carried out an active policy of subsidising hospitals and dispensaries in order to bring about the realisation of
The Theatres and Public Halls Act 1912 implemented censorship of films deemed obscene, implementing the so-called bushranger ban.[8]
Later life
Three of McGowen's sons served in the Great War; one of them was killed at
At the 1917 election McGowen was defeated by the official Labor candidate
McGowen died of heart disease in the Sydney suburb of Petersham and was survived by his wife, five of their seven sons, and two daughters.[2] A large crowd attended his funeral at St Paul's Church, Redfern, New South Wales on 8 April 1922; he was buried at Rookwood Cemetery.[9]
Speeches
- Policy speech 1910.[10]
References
- ^ a b "Mr James Sinclair Taylor McGowen (1855–1922)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- ^ OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
- ^ Serle, Percival (1949). "McGowen, James Sinclair Taylor (1855-1922)". Dictionary of Australian Biography. Sydney: Angus & Robertson. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
- ^ "MR. M'GOWEN HAS A COMPROMISE". Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954). 9 December 1907. p. 7. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- ^ "DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT". Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954). 6 December 1907. p. 7. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ "AN ALL-NIGHT SITTING". Australian Star (Sydney, NSW : 1887 - 1909). 5 December 1907. p. 1. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ a b Foundations of the Welfare State by Pat Thane
- ^ "Censoring Films: Regulations Gazetted". Evening News. Sydney, NSW. 6 November 1912.
- ^ "Family Notices: Funeral McGowen". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 April 1922. p. 11. Retrieved 17 July 2020 – via Trove.
- ^ "Labor Premier's first policy speech". The Barrier Miner. 16 November 1910. p. 8. Retrieved 30 June 2011 – via Trove.