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Fred William Bowen (1906–1980)

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Fred William Bowen (1906-1980) upholsterer, trade union leader, parliamentarian 

Birth: 22 September 1906 in Drummoyne, Sydney, New South Wales, son of Fred Williams, polisher, and Georgina, née Brown. Marriage: 10 October 1936 in Balmain, Sydney, to Edna Laurie Thora Moore, ledger keeper. They had three sons. Death: 27 October 1980 in Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney. Religion: Anglican. 

  • Educated at Orange Grove Primary School, Leichhardt and Petersham Commercial High.
  • 1923 upholstery apprentice. Joined Furnishing Trade Society of NSW in 1923. Full-time organiser 1947. Assistant secretary 1948 and secretary from 1951 to 1977. NSW president, 1944-45. Federal president from 1951;
  • Delegate to NSW Trades and Labor Council (TLC) 1940. Executive member 1950. Vice-President of TLC 1958-65 and president 1965-75.
  • Member of Rozelle branch Australian Labor Party from 1923 to 1938 and Lane Cove branch from 1940. Vice-president, Lane Cove branch. Member of ALP central executive 1952-66 and vice-president 1960-66. Delegate to Federal Conference 1961-69.
  • Appointed member of the Legislative Council of NSW in August 1966 (casual vacancy); retired in 1976.
  • Director of radio station 2KY 1951-76 and of 2HD for 6 years. Member of Housing Commission of NSW 1958-66. Member, Technical Education Advisory Council, 1953-74. Member, Commonwealth Hostels Ltd Board, 1966-76, and chairman, 1973-76. Chairman of ALP Industrial Committee.
  • Spent several months in United States of America in 1956 studying industrial and political developments. In 1960 and 1968 represented Australian trade unions at International Labor Organisation conferences, Geneva.
  • In January 1970 appointed OBE, and in 1979 awarded life membership of ALP NSW branch, nominated by Furnishing Trades, Lane Cove branch.
  • Cause of death was cerebrovascular accident and diffuse vascular disease.

Sources
Heather Radi, Peter Spearritt and Elizabeth Hinton, Biographical Register of the NSW Parliament 1901-1970 (Canberra, 1979); A.L.P. Year Book / Australia Labor Party. New South Wales Branch, 1966 & 1973; Furnishing Worker, 7 February 1965, p.1.

Citation details

'Bowen, Fred William (1906–1980)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/bowen-fred-william-32490/text40314, accessed 18 April 2024.

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