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William Bertie (Bert) Dale (1882–1956)

This article was published:

William Dale, n.d.

William Dale, n.d.

William Bertie Dale, known as ‘Jack’ or ‘Bert’ Dale (1882-1956) shearer and trade unionist 

Birth: 13 April 1882 at Mortlake, Victoria, son of Victorian-born parents William Dale (1855-1909), labourer later farmer, and Caroline, née Polley (1864-1946). Marriages: (1) 21 July 1906 at Mortlake, Victoria, with Presbyterian forms to native-born Edith Jessie Williamson (1874-1924). They had one son. (2) 6 August 1927 at Richmond, Victoria, with Methodist forms to native-born Myrtle Kathleen Ida Fels or Fells (1894-1941) She was previously the common-law wife of his brother Leslie Allan Dale (1894-1960) by whom she had three children. Bert had one son by his second marriage. Death: 8 February 1956 at Mortlake, Victoria. Religion: Anglican. 

  • Educated at Mortlake state school.
  • Worked as a shearer and joined Amalgamated Shearers’ Union. Occupation ‘labourer' in electoral rolls 1903 to 1919.
  • Appointed organiser for the Victoria-Riverina branch of the Australian Workers’ Union in 1920. Represented Victoria-Riverina branch at Trade Union Congress, Melbourne, in 1921 and took prominent part in AWU conferences from 1921 to 1926. In 1925 became secretary of the Victoria-Riverina branch of the AWU. In 1936 was elected to executive of the Trades Hall Council.
  • In July 1938 became organizing secretary of the AWU’s Factory Department in New South Wales and moved to Sydney. According to his Who’s Who entry that year, for the previous twelve years he had been a member of the executive council of the governing body of the AWU, a member of the Worker board of control and a member of the executive of the Victorian branch of the Australian Labor Party.
  • Retired from his AWU position in June 1950.
  • Died in Victoria, though his death certificate cites his residence as Padstow, NSW. Cause of death pulmonary oedema and acute cardiac failure.

Sources
Sketch and profile Labor Call (Melbourne), 28 January 1926, p 7: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/250183665; Australian Worker (Sydney), 3 February 1926, p 1.

Additional Resources

  • profile, Labor Call (Melbourne), 28 January 1926, p 7
  • presentation to Dale, Labor Call (Melbourne), 21 July 1938, p 1
  • retires, Australian Worker (Sydney), 28 June 1950, p 10

Related Entries in NCB Sites

Citation details

'Dale, William Bertie (Bert) (1882–1956)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/dale-william-bertie-bert-32982/text41100, accessed 1 May 2024.

© Copyright People Australia, 2012

William Dale, n.d.

William Dale, n.d.

Life Summary [details]

Birth

13 April, 1882
Mortlake, Victoria, Australia

Death

8 February, 1956 (aged 73)
Mortlake, Victoria, Australia

Cause of Death

oedema

Religious Influence

Includes the religion in which subjects were raised, have chosen themselves, attendance at religious schools and/or religious funeral rites; Atheism and Agnosticism have been included.

Education
Occupation
Key Organisations
Political Activism