People Australia

David Scott (1848-1927) iron moulder and politician

Birth: [probably 5 January 1849 at Ceres, Fife, Scotland, son of David Scott (1784-1873), manufacturer, later moulder, and wife Mary Ann, née Fyall (1818-1877)]. Marriages: (1) 29 March 1880 with Catholic rites in Newcastle, New South Wales, to native-born Margaret Malone (1862-1907). They had six sons and three daughters. (2) 25 December 1915 with Methodist forms at the bride's parents' home, Hamilton, Newcastle, NSW, to native-born Emma Hancel [or Hansell] Roe. Death: 10 January 1927 in his residence at Adamstown, NSW. Religion: various over time, buried in Methodist cemetery. 

• His family had moved to Newcastle-on-Tyne, England by 1855.
• Began work in a brickfield aged 10, and served apprenticeship as an ironmoulder. Was an iron-worker at Westgate, Newcastle-on-Tyne, in 1861.
• After a short time in the goldfields of New Zealand, arrived in NSW in 1874. For sixteen months was foreman ironmoulder at J. and A. Rodgers’ engineering works in Church Street, Newcastle.
• Went to California for two years, returning to Newcastle in 1878 and was again foreman at Rodgers’. In 1880 was living at Minmi. Elected president of the Newcastle branch of the Sydney Ironmoulders’ Union in 1885.
• Active in the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows, receiving his past provincial grand master’s certificate in January 1889.
• A promoter of the Newcastle Trades and Labor Council and a trustee of the early eight-hour movement in Newcastle.
• Elected as Political Labor League candidate to the NSW Legislative Assembly for seat of Newcastle on 17 June 1891. One of the “non-solidarity” parliamentarians who refused to sign the pledge to support the party platform and the decisions of the majority of the caucus, he was defeated as an independent Protectionist candidate for the seat of Newcastle East on 25 July 1894.
• In July 1895 election, as an accredited Protectionist candidate for Newcastle West, he was decisively defeated by a Labor opponent. Became foreman of the large industrial firm of J. Russell and Co.
• Moved to Sydney and worked at Cockatoo Island until returning to the position of foreman of the foundry at Walsh Island in 1914.
• In later years he worked at Walsh Island dockyards.