People Australia

Campbell Roy, n.d.

Campbell Ernest Roy (1888-1949) miner, trade union official and mayor 

Birth: 7 June 1888 at Tibooburra, New South Wales, one of fifteen children of native-born Timothy Charles Roy (1857-1903), miner, and Rebecca Elizabeth, née Tipping (1860-1949), born at Poonmallee, Tamil Nadu, India. Marriage: 1910 at Wallerawang, NSW, to native-born Elizabeth Jane Glew (1891-1939). They had five sons. Death: 25 January 1949 at Lithgow, NSW. Religion: Anglican. 

• Shale miner, Wolgan, NSW. Active in the formation of first miners' lodge at Wolgan. Moved to coal mining at Lithgow in 1913 and gained employment at Oakey Park colliery. Sometime president of Oakey Park lodge.
• President, Western District of Australasian Coal & Shale Employees' Federation 1927-1940 and member of central council during the period; general vice-president of Australasian Coal and Shale Employees' [Miners’] Federation.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party.
• Elected alderman on Lithgow Council on 2 December 1922, and remained in council for twenty-two years. Was mayor for a term — in 1944. First chairman of the Mitchell Regional Development Committee for three years. Chairman, Western District Local Reference Board during 40-hour week campaign of late 1930s.
• Participated in presentation of Miners' Federation case for miners' pensions before 1940-1941 Royal Commission on compulsory retirement of mine employees at 60 years of age. Appointed as Local Coal Authority for Coal Industry Tribunal in 1947.
• Associated with public bodies and patron of sporting and social clubs.
• Cause of death: coronary thrombosis and hypertension.
• Other family members were also active in the Miners' Federation, with his brother and close companion Samuel Alexander (Sam or Sammy) Roy (1887-1950) occupying secretaryship of Western District for many years.

Sources
Labor Year Book, 1935/5 p 235; Robin Gollan, The coalminers of New South Wales: a history of the Union (Melbourne, 1963); Edgar Ross, A history of the Miners' Federation of Australia ([Sydney] 1970]; information from E. Ross, 1990 & 1991; Common Cause, 5 February 1949, p 4, 20 May 1950, p 6.