People Australia

Rex Charles (‘Bob’) Sainsbury, also known as Salisbury or Saulsbury (1893-1935) tramway guard, munitions worker and trade union official 

Birth: 12 February 1893 at Leytonstone, Essex, England, and registered as Charley, son of William Sainsbury (1853-1914), labourer, and Mary Ann, née Tippins (1859-1926). Marriage: 30 April 1915 as Rex Charles Salisbury at St Barnabas Anglican Church, Waverley, New South Wales, to native-born Amy-May Mariana Young, nee Smith (1892-1973). They had six daughters and four sons. Death: 25 June 1935 in hospital at Newcastle, NSW, registered as Rex Charles Saulisbury known as Sainsbury; usual residence Lambton, Newcastle, NSW. Religion: buried with Anglican rites. 

• On 2 April 1911 [census night] he was living in Mayfair, London, and working as an assistant butcher.
• Arrived in Brisbane, Queensland, aboard the Torilla on 10 October 1911. Was possibly a member of the Industrial Workers of the World. Described as an impressive orator. Involved in Brisbane tramway strike, 1912. Left Brisbane after police raid on his home.
• Was a tramway guard on NSW government tramways, Sydney, at the time of his marriage. Worked at Garden Island, Sydney, in 1915-1916. Moved to Lithgow about 1916 and worked in the small arms factory. Joined Small Arms Factory Employees’ Association.
• Was active in local Labor League and in the anti-conscription campaign in 1916-1917. Left Lithgow hastily after a fire at the small arms factory in early 1918.
• Subsequently lived in Narrabri area, then to Picton in the early 1920s. His family was living with his wife’s parents at Gosford in the mid- to late 1920s.
• Sainsbury was a construction worker briefly at Avon Dam, NSW, and was secretary of the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) at dam site, organising site workforce. He was presented with a gold watch by fellow workers.
• Moved to Newcastle about 1925. Was an organiser for the AWU. Became secretary of the AWU Northern District. On electorals rolls his name was shown as Rex Charles Sainsbury.
• Left the the AWU about 1926, joining the United Labourers’ Protective Society (ULPS), becoming an organiser about 1927 and retaining the post until his death. Was ULPS secretary at time of death.
• Secretary of New Lambton branch of the Australian Labor Party and president of the ALP Waratah State Electorate Council. President Newcastle Federal Electorate Council.
• ULPS delegate to Newcastle Trades Hall Council. Member of the NTHC management committee. Council president in early 1930s; senior vice-president 1935.
• Close associate of Hugh Sutherland and Leslie Wells.
• Cause of death: lobar pneumonia with auricular fibrillation and chronic myocardial degeneration.

Sources
Newcastle Morning Herald, 27 June 1935; information from Paul Sainsbury, Newcastle, 1992; information from Greg Patmore, Sydney, 1996.