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John Noel (Jack) Shannon (1882–1968)

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John Noel (Jack) Shannon (1882-1968) miner, ships painter and trade union official 

Birth: 1882 at Sebastopol, Ballarat, Victoria, one of twelve children of Irish-born parents James Shannon (1838-1904), a miner, and Bridget, née Guthrie (1848-1927). Marriage: 9 September 1914 at Ara Coeli Catholic Church, Northampton, Western Australia, to Kathleen Mary Drew (1895-1970), born at Northampton, WA. They had two daughters and three sons. One boy died in infancy from bronchitis, following an attack of measles. Their eldest daughter died aged 15 in 1934. Death: 15 September 1968 at Fitzroy, Melbourne, Victoria; usual residence Faraday Street, Carlton, Melbourne. Religion: Catholic. 

  • Joined union at 14 years of age in Victoria. Member of Ballarat Miners’ Association at 16 years of age.
  • Moved to Western Australia about 1899. President of the Miners’ Union there at 20 years of age. Member of the Black Range district road board in 1913, he was reputedly mayor of Sandstone, WA, in 1914. Chairman of District Hospital Committee.
  • Returned to Victoria in 1918. Joined Ship Painters and Dockers’ Union and was president from that year to 1923 at least.
  • Served in positions of organiser, industrial officer, assistant secretary and federal councillor with Miscellaneous Workers’ Union.
  • Was secretary of the Victorian branch of the MWU until about 1956. Organised the union into laundry workers, school cleaners, asbestos workers, plant and colour workers, photographic goods employees, photographers and Zoological Garden employees. Union representative on the Trades Hall Council, Melbourne.
  • A member of the Australian Labor Party, and president of the Williamstown branch in 1922 and 1923 at least, he was ALP candidate for North Ward in Williamstown City Council in August 1922 and August 1923. Described as a “staunch Cain Labor” man in 1955.
  • Life governor of the Williamstown hospital.
  • Cause of death: fractured femur, cardiac failure and renal failure (Coroner’s report).
  • His wife was the niece of John Michael Drew (1865-1947), sometime ALP Colonial Secretary for Western Australia.

Sources
Federation News, December 1959 p 4.

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Citation details

'Shannon, John Noel (Jack) (1882–1968)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/shannon-john-noel-jack-35029/text44167, accessed 16 June 2025.

© Copyright People Australia, 2012

Life Summary [details]

Birth

1882
Ballarat, Victoria, Australia

Death

15 September, 1968 (aged ~ 86)
Fitzroy, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Cause of Death

fracture (femur)

Cultural Heritage

Includes subject's nationality; their parents' nationality; the countries in which they spent a significant part of their childhood, and their self-identity.

Religious Influence

Includes the religion in which subjects were raised, have chosen themselves, attendance at religious schools and/or religious funeral rites; Atheism and Agnosticism have been included.

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