People Australia

Morant, Jean, née Young, late Samson (1899-1984) domestic servant, trade union official and Communist 

Birth: 1899 at Dumfries, Scotland, daughter of William Young and Margaret (Maggie), née Harkness. Marriages: (1) 23 September 1939 in the Congregationalist church at Melbourne, Victoria, Leslie James Samson (1905-1970), a labourer and organiser for the Communist Party, born at Norwich, England. The marriage ended in divorce in February 1956. (2) 5 September 1956 at the office of the Government Statist, Melbourne, Victoria to Albert Granville Morant (1901-1982) a market gardener born in London, England. They had no children. Death: 10 September 1984 in her home at Hesse Street, Queenscliff, Victoria. 

• Arrived in Australia under a migration program for domestic servants in 1927. Forced to work in domestic service for two years.
• Sought to join the Australian Labor Party whilst working as a linen keeper at a hotel in St Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria. Informed that she was ineligible to join, she was directed to contact the Militant Women's Group, a Communist Party of Australia (CPA)-aligned body. She was subsequently harassed by police for associating with Communists but joined the CPA in 1930, becoming a women's organiser in 1931.
• Jean Young was active in the Unemployed Workers Movement and helped promote the CPA's The Working Woman; in 1931 helped organise first International Women's Day march in Melbourne; in that same year became full time CPA worker.
• Active in Wonthaggi coal strike in 1934, especially in the Miners Women's Auxiliary. In later 1930s participated in CPA's Factories campaign; returning to hotel work and becoming active in the Liquor Trades Union.
• Her first husband served for some six months in the Australian Military Forces during 1939-1940.
• Jean Samson was part of left-faction which won leadership of the union after long legal battle/organiser for Liquor Trades Union, organising many women in catering industry. Led stoppages at Myers, Coles and the Hotel Alexandra. Was forced to leave position through ill-health in 1942.
• She was called as a witness at Royal Commission on Communism in 1949.
• Subsequently CPA secretary for Melbourne South Metropolitan area, building up industrial branches and shop stewards movement and working co-operatively with local ALP.
• Handicapped by illness in later years. Cause of death: generalised arteriosclerosis (years) and chronic pyometra.

Sources
Tribune, 19 September 1984.