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Charles William Dawes (1865–1927)

by Peter D. Gardner

This article was published:

Charles William Dawes (1865-1927) miner, trade union leader

Birth: 20 September 1865 at Black Rock, West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England, son of Charles Dawes (1842-1921), a coalminer born in Derbyshire, and Staffordshire-born Christiana, née Pearson (1845-1924). Marriage: 20 May 1895 at Brunswick, Victoria to Rebecca, née Whitworth, late Crase (1865-1940), a widowed knitter, born in Lancashire, England, who had two children. The couple later had two sons. Death: 27 May 1927 in hospital at Collie, Western Australia. Religion: Congregational. 

  • Arrived in New South Wales aboard the Ninevah with his parents and siblings on 10 November 1876. In 1891 Charles senior and his family were living at Molong.
  • Was a miner at Korumburra, Victoria by 1895. Founding member and member of founding committee of Victorian Coal Miners' Association, 1896. May also have been founding member Coal Creek Miners' Union, 1893. From 1898 to 1899 president Coal Creek Accident Friendly Society.
  • Went to Collie, Western Australia, with family about 1900. His parents and other family members lived there also and the men worked as miners.
  • In 1902 was delegate, and unsuccessful candidate for treasurer, of Collie Miners' Union. In 1911 vice-president of union and from 1912 to 1914 was district president.
  • Hobbies included poultry raising and he was a member of the Collie Dog and Poultry Society. Member of the Druids’ Lodge.
  • Cause of death: myocardial degeneration, anasarca and heart failure

Sources
Collie Miners' Union MSS, Battye Library, Perth; Outtrim News; information from Mrs Crawford, Collie; P. D. Gardner, Too old to rat: the radical miners of South Gippsland 1893-1904 (Ensay, Victoria, 1994).

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Citation details

Peter D. Gardner, 'Dawes, Charles William (1865–1927)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/dawes-charles-william-33616/text42051, accessed 7 November 2024.

© Copyright People Australia, 2012

Life Summary [details]

Birth

20 September, 1865
West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England

Death

27 May, 1927 (aged 61)
Collie, Western Australia, 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.

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