People Australia

William Scully, c.1941

Australian War Memorial, 010023

William James (Bill) Scully (1883-1966) farmer and parliamentarian 

Birth: 1 February 1883 in Sydney, New South Wales, son of native-born parents Thomas James Scully (1847-1933), a labourer later farmer, and Sarah Levy, née Rutherford (1860-1944). Marriage: 15 June 1925 at St Nicholas’s Catholic Church, Tamworth, to Grace Myrtle Kilbridge (1898-1977), born at Wallsend, NSW. They had three sons. Death: 19 March 1966 in Base Hospital, Tamworth; usual residence Belmore Street. Religion: Catholic. 

• Bill received a primary school education, attending a small school on Bective station. Left school at 14 years of age.
• Became a sharefarmer at Nemingha. Later he moved to Tamworth and was a road contractor and a member of the Australian Workers’ Union.
• He was president and organiser of the Tamworth Eight Hour Committee for many years and president of the Tamworth branch ALP for fifteen years and federal electorate council. In 1914 he was appointed justice of the peace.
• Defeated in elections for the NSW Legislative Assembly seats of Gwydir in 1917 and Namoi in 1920 and 1922, he won Namoi in September 1923 (casual vacancy). In 1932 he was defeated for Namoi and again in 1935.
• At a by-election on 8 May 1937 Bill Scully was elected a member of the House of Representatives for the seat of Gwydir 1937. He was Federal minister for commerce in 1941-1942, minister for commerce and agriculture in 1942-1945, and vice-president of the Executive Council in 1946-1949. He was defeated for the seat of Gwyder in 1949.
• He was an alderman on Tamworth City Council in 1950-1956. In 1953 he was defeated for the State seat of Tamworth.
• Member, Aborigines’ Protection Board 1931-1937, Welfare Board 1938-1949. Foundation chairman, Tamworth Ambulance Committee. First president Tamworth District Working Mens’ Club 1955-1957 and vice-president 1958-1962. Councillor of New England University.
• Was horse buyer 1932; Raced horses in Newcastle and Sydney. Life member of Tamworth Jockey Club. Judge for NSW National Coursing Association for 15 years.
• Scully Park in West Tamworth named to honour his community service.
• Cause of death: myocardial degeneration, prostatectomy.
• Patrick Charles Scully, MLA, NSW, was his brother. 

Sources
Heather Radi, Peter Spearritt and Elizabeth Hinton Hinton (eds), Biographical Register of the NSW Parliament 1901-1970 (Canberra, 1979); Labor Year Book, 1933 p 174.