People Australia

John Quirk, n.d.

John Quirk (1870-1938) postman, trade union official and parliamentarian 

Birth: 18 May 1870 at Balmain, Sydney, New South Wales, son of Irish-born parents John Quirk (1838-1894), a dairyman or miller, from County Tipperary, and Mary Margery, née McClafferty, later Woodman-George (1841-1912), from Doe or Letterkenny, Donegal, a kitchenmaid, who could neither read nor write; she had reached Sydney as an assisted immigrant, aboard the Lady Emma Bruce in July 1859. Marriages: (1) 6 August 1891 at Sydney to Sarah Jane Gallie (1869-1920), born in Sydney. They had three daughters and two sons. (2) 9 February 1927 at St Patrick’s Church, Sydney, to native-born Mary Lily May, née Deal, late Kelly (1880-1952), a shop assistant and trade unionist. Death: 13 December 1938 in his usual residence at Mackenzie Street, Balmain, Sydney. Religion: Catholic. 

• Educated at St Joseph's school, Rozelle, Sydney.
• Joined the Postmaster General’s Department in 1886. Worked in Balmain post office until his election to parliament in 1917. Founder of the Letter Carriers' Union (later Postal Workers' Union) of which he was president and a life member.
• Foundation member Rozelle Political Labor League 1893 and president for twenty years.
• Commissioned as justice of the peace in 1911.
• Elected member of the Legislative Assembly for Rozelle on 24 May 1917. Held the seats of Balmain from 1920 to 1927, Rozelle from 1927 to 1930 and Balmain again from 1930 to his death. Was treasurer of the State Parliamentary Labor Party. Close to J. T. Lang.
• Active member of Balmain United Friendly Society and was president.
• Cause of death: acute lymphatic leukaemia (3 months), chronic fibrosis of lung (non tubercular) (3 or four years).
• His widow Mary was elected to his seat in parliament in the by-election on 14 January 1939.

Sources
Heather Radi, Peter Spearritt & Elizabeth Hinton, Biographical Register of the NSW Parliament 1901-1970 (Canberra, 1979); Labor Year Book, 1933 ,p 174, 1934-35, p 234; Shop Assistant Journal, 1939.