People Australia

Andrew Matthias Anderson (Andy junior) (1878-1965) civil engineer, surveyor, miner, Socialist 

Birth: 4 April 1878 at Inverness, Scotland, son of Anders Gustaf (Andrew) Anderson (1850-1915), Scottish coalminer, socialist, union activist & immigrant and farmer, born at Örebro, Sweden, and Scottish-born Mary Ann, née Ross. Marriage: 6 June 1907 at Maryborough, Queensland to native-born Charlotte Sarah Crooks (1878-1965), a dressmaker. They had four sons. Death: 12 July 1965 in his home at Park Road west, South Brisbane, Queensland. Religion: None. 

• In the early 1870s his father had moved to Scotland where he worked as a wood sawyer.
• The family arrived at Howard, in the Maryborough district, Queensland, in 1883, where his father was associated with a bid to form miners’ union in early 1890s.
• Young Andy was well-educated, holding engineering qualifications, but interrupted his professional career to become a miner in order to support his family. With his brother Gustaf Adolph (Gus) (1883-1970) and David V. Anderson, he played a leading role in an abortive strike to establish a trade union at Howard and Burrum collieries in 1907.
• An ardent socialist, he was dubbed ‘an imported agitator’ and clashed publicly with William Rankin, managing director of Howard mine, declaring ‘I glory in doing anything I can for socialism’.
• After strike defeat, he transferred to Brisbane with his family, where, with his brother, he became prominent in the Social Democratic Vanguard.
• Worked as a surveyor and engineer.
• Aged 64, he enlisted in the Volunteer Defence Corps in Brisbane on 14 May 1942. Promoted sergeant on 31 December 1943, he was discharged on 25 February 1944.
• In retirement he published a book of poetry, The hut: and other verse (Brisbane, 1946).
• Cause of death: coronary occlusion and arteriosclerosis (6 months) and senility.
• He was an associate of William and Ernie Lane and H. E. Boote.

Sources
Edgar Ross, A History of the Miners' Federation of Australia (Sydney, 1970).