People Australia

Harry Langridge, n.d.

Harry Edward Langridge (1856-1945) accountant, trade unionist, political activist 

Birth: 10 December 1856 at London, England, son of Charles Langridge (1817-1858), staymaker, and Elizabeth Anne, née Keet (1821-1857). Marriages: (1) relationship, 1884 in Sydney, New South Wales with Irish-born Maria Josephine, née Cormac, late McKenna (1849-1885). They had one son born in Sydney in 1885. (2) 28 September 1887 at Newtown, New South Wales, to Anne Burnett (1867-1919), born in London, England. They had two daughters and four sons. Three children died in infancy. Death: 22 June 1945 at Mount Royal, Royal Park, Melbourne,Victoria; usual residence Orr Street, Carlton. 

• Orphaned in childhood, he grew up away from his own family in London. Emigrated to Australia, was in Brisbane, Queensland from 1879 to about 1881 when he moved to NSW. About 1897 went to New Zealand and in about 1901 to Melbourne, remaining there for the rest of his life.
• Worked as an accountant. Active member of the Clerks’ Union.
• A foundation member of the Australian Labor Party in NSW in 1890. Pioneer of preferential voting system in Victoria and often acted as a scrutineer for Labor candidates contesting public positions.
• Campaigned within the ALP to exclude employers from the ALP and circulated a call to all unions and labour party branches, 1931 and placed this on the annual State Labor Party conference agenda for six years. A proposal to this effect was voted on at one stage and was defeated by a 46 percent conference division.
• Often broadcasted his views on economic and sociological issues to members of Trades Hall Council, Victoria, in pamphlet form, which included views in support of socialism, sovietism, enacting in law a provision of free bread for workers and campaigned against piece work. Pamphlets included ‘Labour Russia 1926’, ‘Dreisers Russia 1928’ and ‘Sovietism 1927’. Regular contributor to Labor Call.
• Instrumental in having Anna Louise Strong’s ‘First Time in History’ published and distributed in Australia.
• Was a firm adherent to teetotalism and a vegetarian. “Dancing was his hobby and he was a well-known figure at popular Melbourne dance halls, which he visited almost nightly – a dapper figure with a white beard and a flower in his buttonhole”.
• “Outside of his occupation as an accountant, Labor and dancing engaged his ardent attention.” Was noted for his long-distance walks. “It was not unusual for him to walk from Carlton to St Kilda to a dance. After dancing throughout the evening he would walk back to Carlton.”
• Cause of death: pneumonia (4 days).

Sources
Labor Call (Melbourne), 24 December 1930, 28 June 1945 p 9; Recorder April 1971, No. 51, Merrifield Card Index, State Library of Victoria.