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Colin Campbell Tannock (1891–1972)

This article was published:

Colin Tannock, Fairfax Corporation, 1930s

Colin Tannock, Fairfax Corporation, 1930s

National Library of Australia, 52300324

Colin Campbell Kennedy Tannock (1891-1972) ironworker, trade union official and parliamentarian 

Birth: 2 April 1891 at Maryhill, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, son of James Tannock (b. 1860), gasfitter and Euphemia Campbell (Effie), née Kennedy (1866-1945). Marriage: 28 January 1915 at St David’s Anglican Church, Surry Hills, Sydney, New South Wales, to Mary Elizabeth Anderson (1890-1972), born at Bromley-by-Bow, London England. They had two daughters. Death: 1 November 1972 in a nursing home at Terrey Hills, Sydney; usual residence Waroon Road, Cromer, Sydney. Religion: Anglican. 

  • Arrived in Sydney in July 1910.
  • Joined Sydney branch of Federated Ironworkers’ Union (FIA) about 1917. Closely associated with Moulders’ Union (later FIA?). Secretary of the Foundry Workers’ joint management committee from 1935. Organiser, Federated Ironworkers’ Union; president 1924 to 1926, State secretary 1926-1946, president 1953-1955; trustee and delegate to Australian Council of Trade Unions.
  • Director of Labor Daily. President of Langlea branch of the Australian Labor Party. Member, St George state electorate council.
  • Elected member of the Legislative Council of NSW on 24 November 1931. Became a member of the indirectly elected Council on 23 April 1934. Left the Council on 22 April 1952 (having lost ALP endorsement for re-election).
  • Prominent in endeavors to form one union in metal industry; “Militant Communist of Metal Trades group”. Attended Trades Union Communist Conference. Retired from union about 1961.
  • Cause of death: acute myocardial infarction (2 days), hypercholesterolaemia (approximately 15 years), diabetes mellitus (approximately 15 years), left hemiplegia (1 year, 9 months).

Sources
Heather Radi, Peter Spearritt & Elizbeth Hinton (eds), Biographical Register of the NSW Parliament 1901-1970 (Canberra, 1979); Australian Foundry Worker, January 1961 p 4; Labor News, 15 December 1952, 7 November 1952 p 7, 24 October 1952 p 2; Malcolm Henry Ellis The red road: the story of the capture of the Lang party by Communists, instructed from Moscow (Sydney [1932], and The Garden path (Sydney, 1949); Labor Year Book, 1933 p 175, 1934-35 p 236.

Citation details

'Tannock, Colin Campbell (1891–1972)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/tannock-colin-campbell-34881/text43964, accessed 26 April 2025.

© Copyright People Australia, 2012

Colin Tannock, Fairfax Corporation, 1930s

Colin Tannock, Fairfax Corporation, 1930s

National Library of Australia, 52300324

Life Summary [details]

Birth

2 April, 1891
Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Death

1 November, 1972 (aged 81)
Terry Hills, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Cause of Death

heart disease

Cultural Heritage

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