People Australia

Vincent James Englart (1923-2000) builders’ labourer and Communist 

Birth 16 October 1923 at South Brisbane, Queensland, son of Queensland-born parents Edward Conrad (Ted) Englart (1897-1983), waterside worker, and Catherine (Kate), née Ryan (1900-1975). Marriage: May 1951 to Shirley Millar. They had three sons. Death: 10 October 2000 at Brisbane. 

• Left school aged 15. Joined Communist Party of Australia when aged 16 and was present in family home when security raids took place during World War II.
• From June 1941 he was active in Friends of Soviet Union, and established branch of CPA at his workplace in Woolloongabba. Founding member of the Eureka Youth League of Australia in 1942.
• December 1942 joined army, serving with engineers in New Guinea, education service where made sergeant.
• After war he studied at University of Queensland for two years, arrested twice for demonstrations in support of striking railwaymen and meatworkers.
• Sought work in Commonwealth Public Service and Queensland Education Department, but blackbanned because of political views.
• 1951-55 attended international communist school, China. From 1955 to 1957 was Queensland editor of Tribune and then worked as organiser for the CPA, active in Vietnam, anti-apartheid, and anti-uranium demonstrations.
• During Bjelke-Petersen era, prosecuted for selling Little Red School Book and Portnoy’s Complaint; 1970, narrowly escaped injury when CPA building in Brisbane bombed by Neo-Nazi extremists.
• Worked as builders’ labourer until his retirement aged 60. Noted for using self-taught mathematical skills to correct errors in sundial at Brisbane Planetarium.
• Joined Australian Democrats.

Sources
Sydney Morning Herald, 4 December 2000; Englart MSS, Raised A Radical, www.takver.com; National Archives of Australia, ASIO files, NAA Series A6119, 2390 item 3116315 and Series A6119, 2391, item 3116332