People Australia

Robert King, n.d.

Robert Arthur (Bob) King (1886-1960) saddler, trade union official and parliamentarian

Birth: 9 April 1886 at Launceston, Tasmania, son of native-born parents Robert King (1858-1907), tailor, and Louisa, née Barrett (1865-?). Marriage: 2 November 1910 at St John’s Anglican Church, Launceston, to Florence May (Floss) Mullins (1887-1969). They had two daughters. Death: 27 February 1960 at Royal Prince Henry Hospital, Little Bay, Sydney. 

• Left school at age 13 and later worked as saddler, ship’s fireman, tin miner, storeman, clerk, builders’ labourer and motor trimmer.
• Apprenticed in saddlery trade at Launceston. Became active in Saddlers’ Union about 1908 and as a result found difficulty in gaining employment.
• Moved to NSW about 1916. Member Saddlers’ Union, 1916-1924 and president 1916-c.1919.
• Assistant secretary of the NSW Trades and Labor Council 1923; organiser 1930-1934; secretary 1935-1958.
• Executive member of the Australian Labor Party, NSW Branch 1927; expelled by special conference 1936; member of R. J. Heffron group 1936-1939; Member of Hughes-Evans executive 1940-1941, member central executive, ALP 1927-1928, 1939-1952; delegate to Federal Conference of the ALP from 1936 to 1953.
• King was a nominated member of the NSW Legislative Council in November 1931. He was elected to the reconstituted council in April 1934 and remained a MLC until his death.
• He was a Royal Commissioner into the Gas Industry in 1949. Full-time manager of radio station 2KY; director radio station 2HD Newcastle; secretary circulation committee Labor Daily 1938; vice-president Australian Council of Trade Unions 1935 to 1957.
• Delegate to May Day celebrations USSR 1937, to International Labor Organisation conferences Geneva 1945 and 1947, and to World Federation of Trade Unions 1945. Member War Workers’ Housing Trust 1939-1945; member Commonwealth advisory committee on immigration 1945; vice-president, Australia-Russia Friendship League.
• Cause of death: cerebral haemorrhage, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. 

Sources
Labor Daily Year Book 1933, p 171, 1934-35, p 232; Heather Radi, Peter Spearritt & Elizabeth Hinton (eds), Biographical Register of the NSW Parliament 1901-1970 (Canberra, 1979); Malcolm Henry Ellis, The Garden path (Sydney, 1949); Tribune, 30 October 1957; Unity, 15 March 1960; Torch, March-April 1960; ETU News, March 1960; Union News, June 1960.