People Australia

Frederick Blaker (Fred) Spafford (1858-1940) iron moulder and trade union official

Birth: 1 July 1858 at Mitcham, Adelaide, South Australia, son of Spafford Hatton Spafford (1831-1901), a teamster, born at Manchester, Lancashire, England, who had reached Adelaide aboard the ship Lady McNaughton in 1846, and native-born Elizabeth, née Blaker (1825-1920), whose parents came from Hampshire, England. Marriage: 21 March 1878 at Adelaide to native-born Elizabeth (Lizzie) Brice (1861-1908). They had two daughters and four sons. Death: 25 March 1940 in a private hospital at North Adelaide; usual residence Burwood Avenue, Nailsworth, SA. 

• His father was a teamster on the party employed by (Sir) Charles Todd to construct the Northern Telegraph line in the 1870s.
• Frederick joined the Moulders’ Union in 1886. He was secretary of the SA Moulders’ Union from 1888 until 1891 (retired from office), and president from 1892 to 1893, when the union folded. He was secretary again from 1899 (when the union re-formed) to 1925 (retired) with exception of 12 months.
• He joined the federated union, SA, in 1904, and was a member of the federal council (SA) in 1926 at least.
• Spafford was federal president of the Federated Moulders’ Union from 1913 to 1936, not including 1921-1925.
• Was an officer [Noble Grand] of the Irene Lodge, No. 14, Independent Order of Oddfellows.
• Cause of death: pneumonia (24 hours), prostatectomy and enlarged prostate.
• His son Walter John (Bill) Spafford (1884-1962), wheat breeder, Director of Agriculture in South Australia from 1936 to 1949, was said to have had “an illustrious career”.

Sources
William J. Hargreaves: History of Federated Moulders  (Metal) Union of Australia, 1858-1958 (Melbourne, 1958) pp.80-81; Federated Moulder, March 1926, vol.1, No. 2, pp 1, 16.