People Australia

Ernest Purnell, n.d.

Ernest Bracher (‘E. B.’ or ‘Pa’) Purnell (1866-1954) miner, waterside worker and trade union official

Birth: 27 September 1866 at Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom, son of Thomas Purnell (1832-1902), commercial traveller, and Caroline, née Bracher (1828-1902). Marriage: 16 February 1894 at Rockhampton, Queensland, to Annie Kelly (1873-1933), born in Dublin Ireland. They had five daughters and two sons. Death: 25 July 1954 at Rockhampton, Qld. Religion: Anglican. 

• Emigrated from Wales to South Australia with his parents about 1875. Began his working life at 13. 'Drifted' to Victoria and New South Wales, where he worked as a miner at Broken Hill.
• Itinerant pastoral worker, member of Australian Workers’ Union from 1887, then was a shearer at Barcaldine, Queensland, during 1894 Shearers' Strike. Waterside worker in Rockhampton from 1895.
• Elected secretary of the newly established Rockhampton Waterside Union in 1900 (which joined the Waterside Workers’ Federation (WWF) in 1902); first full-time secretary in 1907. Held local secretaryship until his retirement in 1937/1938. Secretary of the quasi Queensland branch of the WWF to gain access to the state arbitration system in 1920-1928.
• Fought for the uniform introduction of rotary system as had been successfully adopted in Rockhampton after local strike in 1924. WWF life member in 1938, auditor and picnic secretary for next decade and returning officer until 1954.
• Assisted in formation of other Rockhampton unions between 1907 and 1911. Prominent in 1912 General Strike. Co-founder, inaugural secretary and WWF delegate to Rockhampton Eight-Hour Day Celebration Committee from 1909. Co-founder of and WWF delegate to Rockhampton Trades Hall Board of Management from 1913.
• Stalwart Labor socialist. Member of Rockhampton Workers’ Political Organization, Depot Hill, Australian Labor Party, Capricornia divisional executive. Stood unsuccessfully for Rockhampton electorate in 1909 State election.
• Appointed by new Ryan Labor government to the Legislative Council in 1917 until its planned abolition in 1922.
• Elected member of Rockhampton Harbour Board during 1920s and 1930s.
• Was self-educated, with extensive knowledge of intellectual literature. Founding president of Rockhampton Workers' Educational Association. Active member of Early Closing movement, and Druids.
• Remained life-long friend of W. M. Hughes, despite political differences after 1916.
• Always referred to as 'E.B.' or 'Pa' Purnell. Was revered as the father of the Rockhampton union movement.
• Cause of death: influenza and senility, cardiac asthenia and cardiac arrest.

Sources
Queensland Marriage Register 68/1894; Worker (Brisbane), 10 October 1908; Critic, 24 September 1909; Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton), 27 July 1954; Maritime Worker, 27 July 1954; Barbara Webster, ‘“Fighting in the grand cause”: a history of the trade union movement in Rockhampton, 1907-1957’, PhD thesis, Central Qld University, Rockhampton, 1999.