People Australia

Charles Mutton, 1940

Labor Call (Melbourne), 7 March 1940, p 13

Charles Mutton (1890-1989) ironworker, poultry farmer, shire president, trade union official and parliamentarian 

Birth: 14 September 1890 at North Melbourne, son of native-born parents Charles Mutton (1870-1922), tobacco worker and active unionist, and Mary Ann, née Moloney. Marriages: (1) 21 August 1914 to native-born Annie Maria Peachey (1892-1953). They had one daughter and four sons. (2) 1954 to Claris May King (1910?-2004?). Death: 13 May 1989 at Parkville, Melbourne; usual residence Albert street, Fawkner. Religion: Catholic. 

• His paternal grandfather had been born at Cornwall, England, and grandmother at Fethard, Tipperary, Ireland. His maternal grandparents were of Irish ancestry.
• Young Charles was educated at St Mary's and St Francis', Elizabeth Street, Melbourne.
• Commenced work with Excelsior Barbed Wire & Nail Works 1903-1910, plus morning and evening newsrounds. Worked at North Coburg piggery.
• Ironworker with John Payne & Sons, Victoria Street, Coburg 1911-1930. On his father's death in 1930 he took over Fawkner poultry farm.
• Justice of the Peace 1927. President of the Iron Founders Union.
• Joined Australian Labor Party, Coburg branch, in 1908; founding president of Fawkner branch in Broadmeadows in 1917. Shire councillor from 1925 to 1953. Broadmeadows shire president in 1934-1935 and 1947-1948.
• Independent Labor Member of the Legislative Assembly for Coburg from 1 July 1940 (by/election) to 1 March 1967 (retired). Expelled from Labor Party after winning Coburg as Independent Labor in 1940, re-admitted in 1956.
• A long battle between the Coburg ALP branch and the central executive culminated in 1940 with the pre-selection ballot being cancelled on a minor pretext and an 'outside' candidate was selected. Charles stood as an independent in protest and the depth of local resentment carried him to victory.
• Active back-bencher representing electorate. Contested Bulla and Dalhousie in 1935, 1937 and 1940. Active in many local organisations. Member, Coburg Cycling Club 1909. Horseracing enthusiast.
• Cause of death: cardiac arrest, infected moores anthroplasty and fractured left neck of femur.
• Father of John Patrick Mutton (1915-2006) who was also member of the Victorian parliament for Coburg.

Sources
Geoff Browne, Biographical register of the Victorian Parliament, 1900-84 (Melbourne, 1985), p.160; Carolyn Rasmussen, Labor Politics in Coburg 1919-40, MA, University of Melbourne 1978; C. A. Rasmussen, Charles Mutton and the By-Election for the Victorian Legislative Assembly Seat of Coburg, 14 July 1940. MA (Prelim), University of Melbourne, 1975; G. R. Birchall, Charlie Mutton: MHR for Coburg 1940-67, BA (Hons) La Trobe University, 1974; Labor Call, VPD, Interviews with Mutton, 'Brunswick and Coburg Gazette', Coburg Courier.