People Australia

John Frederick Burcher, born Hans Frederick Carl Böttcher (1884-1955) tramway ganger, trade unionist and municipal councillor 

Birth: 27 January 1884 at Angermünde, Brandenburg, Prussia [Germany], son of Wilhelm August Christian Böttcher (1860-1928), fireman, and his first wife Wilhelmina Louise Christine, née Dahn (1860-1904). Marriage: 30 May 1908 in St Paul’s Church, Redfern, Sydney, New South Wales to Rachel Young (1882-1964), who had been born in New Ross, Ireland. They had one son and one daughter. Death: 27 May 1955 at Ashfield, Sydney. Religion: Anglican. 

• Arrived in Brisbane, Queensland, aboard the Bulimba with his parents and siblings on 22 August 1887. The family moved to New South Wales about 1890.
• Was a labourer at Erskineville, Sydney, in July 1907 when he applied for naturalisation. This was granted in August 1907, after which he changed his name.
• Rank and file tramway worker, as labourer, ballast guard then a ganger supervisor from 1936 to 1954. Was a councillor of Permanent Way Division, NSW Branch of the Amalgamated Railway and Tramway Service Association [later ARU]. Labour movement connection dated to 1909.
• Held positions of secretary and president of the Redfern Branch of Australian Labor Party.
• Resided at Cleveland Street, Redfern, until 1935. Unsuccessful candidate for Redfern municipal council in December 1922. Appointed justice of the peace on 3 October 1923.
• Was elected as ALP candidate to Redfern Municipal Council at a by-election in May 1924. Failed to be re-elected in December 1925.
• A ‘straightforward unionist… highly respected’.
• According to his family, Burcher became a friend of his fellow Redfernite – and St Paul’s church parishioner — (Sir) William McKell.
• Was a pensioner at his death.

Sources
Railways Union Gazette, n.d.