Peter James Mooney (1870-1947) foundryman, trade union official and licensing magistrate
Birth: 1870 at Anakie, near Geelong, Victoria, son of native-born Lawrence (or Lawrance) Mooney (1824-1906), farmer, and Bridget, née Nicholson (1834-1908), born at Galway, Ireland. Marriage: 25 April 1905 at St Brigid’s Church, West Perth, Western Australia, to Mary Sylvester Butler (1881-1974), born at Jamestown, Clare, South Australia, of Irish descent. They had one daughter. Death: 20 July 1947 at St Anne’s Nursing Home, Ellesmere Road, Mount Lawley, Perth. Religion: Catholic.
- Educated at Geelong, Victoria, in a state school and at the Christian Brothers’ College.
- Gained work in Melbourne at Munro’s Iron Factory for nine months in about 1896. Was employed at the Newport Railway Iron Works, which belonged to the Victorian Government for eight months. Joined the Ironworkers’ Assistants’ Union.
- Moved to Western Australia in 1898 and settled in Perth. Gained work at the Black Swan Foundry for several years until it was closed down.
- Striker at Hoskin’s foundry (perhaps this was also known as the Midlands Junction Works). Here he organised Ironworkers’ Assistants’ Union (then known as the Iron and Furnace Workers’ Union). Was honorary secretary for twelve years until it merged with the Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU) in 1914.
- Delegate to the Trades and Labour Council (TLC) when there were two bodies, one in Perth and another in Fremantle and the meetings were held alternatively in the two places.
- Also delegate to the Australian Labor Party and worked towards the amalgamation of a unified WA branch of the ALP. Delegate to the Metropolitan District Council of the ALP after the amalgamation and became vice-president from about 1922 to about 1925 and president from about 1925 to about 1936.
- Secretary of the metropolitan council of the ALP from 1924 until about 1939 (retired). In this capacity he represented about 12,000 members in a wide range of industries including the railway and tramway service, building trades, the Australian Workers’ Union, clothing, catering, food manufacturing trades and shop assistants as well as nurturing a close connection with unemployed members in all the relevant industries.
- Represented the unemployed, especially after the 1929 economic slump, on the Trades Hall Council and on public committees including the Lord Mayor’s Fund and the council of unemployment committees.
- In about 1939 he was appointed to the State Licensing bench and passed out of active association with trade unionism and politics, which was marked by a farewell at the Trades Hall in his honour.
- Had been senior vice-president on the State executive of the ALP from 1926 to 1928 at least. Was general president of the State executive of the ALP, from about 1935 to about 1939. Acting secretary on ALP State executive during absence of E. H Barker at federal executive meeting in Melbourne, 1928. Delegate of State executive on Metropolitan District Council for many years. Representative of State ALP at many federal conferences.
- Organised for acquiring the site for the building of a new Trades Hall (and/or the State’s Labor Headquarters) at Beaufort Street, together with Alex McCallum, the then part-time secretary of TLC, in 1910.
- Director and later chairman of directors of Peoples Printing and Publishing Co. Prominent in annual Eight-Hours Day annual celebration and marshal of the procession for several years. President of the Labor Day Committee for six years and secretary for fourteen years.
- Foundation member of the Metropolitan Market Trust, to which he was appointed by the government in about 1928. Member of Perth Hospital Board for fifteen years; committee member of the Blind Institute for twelve years; board member, of Maylands Blind School. Member of Council for Development of Industry; member, Bayswater Road Board and Member, Markets Board.
- Retired as licensing magistrate in 1946.
- His wife was also an active member of Perth Labor Women’s ALP.
- Cause of death: arteriosclerosis (12 months), chronic myocarditis and nephritis (4 months).
Sources
The Record, 7 August 1947, p 15; Westralian Worker, 24 February 1928, p 3, 30 April 1937, p 5, 3 February 1939, p 8, 20 June 1941, p 71, 25 July 1947, p 1.
Citation details
'Mooney, Peter James (1870–1947)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/mooney-peter-james-34570/text43458, accessed 4 November 2024.