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David Valentine Anderson (1866–1940)

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David Valentine Anderson (1865-1940) miner and trade union official 

Birth: 20 October 1866 at Craighill, Kincardine, Scotland, and registered as David Anderson Valentine, illegitimate son of Ann Valentine (1842-1907); his death certificate lists his parents as David Anderson, sea captain, and Annie, née Cowie. Marriages: (1) 22 April 1897 Maryborough, Queensland to native-born Rose Ann Stocker (1865-1899). (2) 6 May 1901 at Maryborough to native-born Margaret Smith (1870-1933). They had four daughters and three sons. Death: 4 October 1940 at his residence, Sussex Street, Maryborough. Religion: Presbyterian. 

  • Arrived in Queensland about 1886. Engaged in mining at Paradise in the Upper Burnett and elsewhere. Was a member of the Australian Labor Party in Paradise in 1893.
  • From about 1900 worked as a coalminer at Howard, Wide Bay, Queensland. Lost arm in mining accident. Forced to work on restricted basis.
  • With Andrew Anderson jnr. and others, involved in abortive strike action to form union at Howard mine 1907.
  • Strike was precipitated by his dismissal for attempting to form union. He became secretary of union during strike and defended strike leaders against alleged misuse of strike funds. Refused to accept defeat and sought to rally dispirited miners, but strike was defeated by division in miners' ranks.
  • Was president, secretary and treasurer of the Howard School of Arts and president of the Rangers Football Club. Always a keen Labor man, he unsuccessfully contested a preselection at Howard for the Burrum electorate in 1905, won by Matt Reid, who failed to win the election.
  • In 1917 he moved to Maryborough where he was employed as a boiler attendant and night watchman by the Railways department until 1931. In 1933 he was vice-president of the Maryborough ALP and from 1933 to 1936 was a Labor alderman on the Maryborough City Council, when he was council representative on the Maryborough Fire Brigade and Hospitals boards.
  • Cause of death: coronary sclerosis and thrombosis, cardiac failure and senility.

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

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Citation details

'Anderson, David Valentine (1866–1940)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/anderson-david-valentine-33906/text42476, accessed 10 December 2023.

© Copyright People Australia, 2012

Life Summary [details]

Alternative Names
  • Valentine, David Anderson
Birth

20 October, 1866
Craighill, Kincardineshire, Scotland

Death

4 October, 1940 (aged 73)
Maryborough, Queensland, Australia

Cause of Death

heart disease

Cultural Heritage

Includes subject's nationality; their parents' nationality; the countries in which they spent a significant part of their childhood, and their self-identity.

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.

Occupation
Key Organisations
Political Activism
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