People Australia

Paterson William (Jock) Trevorrow (1890-1979) instrument maker and trade union official 

Birth: 11 February 1890 at Govan, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, son of William John Trevorrow (1856-1944), insurance agent, born at St Ives, Cornwall, England, and Louisa Anabel, née Paterson (1857-1926). Marriage: about 1912, probably at Govan, Scotland, to Mary [Minnie?] Green (1891-1964). They had two daughters and one son. Death: 26 June 1979 at Austral private hospital, Morphettville, Adelaide. 

• Educated in Scotland. Served apprenticeship in Glasgow and joined the trade union and Labor Party. From 13 May 1908 to April 1912 he served as a sapper in the 2nd Highland Field Company, Royal Engineers, in the British Territorial Force.
• His brother William John Trevorrow (1856-1944), a watchmaker, had come to Adelaide in 1911 and migrated to San Francisco, United States of America, in 1919.
• Jock lived and worked in Glasgow until he departed from London with his wife and three children aboard the SS Balranald on 29 January 1925. They arrived in Adelaide on 10 March. His father, mother and sister also came to South Australia at the same time.
• He gained work as a tradesman on electrical fitting and instrument work with the Adelaide Electric Supply Company for ten years. Joined the Electrical Trades Union (ETU). Elected full-time secretary-treasurer of SA Branch of ETU in 1934 and continued as secretary until 1959 (retired).
• Membership in South Australia had been reduced dramatically as a result of the Depression and the branch was in financial difficulties. Trevorrow was involved in re-building the branch.
• SA branch negotiated an agreement with the Port Pirie Council for the first forty-hour-work-week for a craft union in Australia. It also negotiated annual and long serve leave for members and the first award in SA for radio manufacturing and servicing employees despite concerted opposition from employers.
• Trevorrow was elected federal councillor for the ETU continuously from 1934 to 1959. He was long-time federal president of the union, from 1949.
• Was appointed member of federal rules committee and delegate to the Australian Council of Trade Unions congress. Was branch delegate to SA TLC, holding position of president and executive member for several years. Trustee of Trades Hall management committee.
• Represented all trades on the State Advisory Council. Represented the ETU on both the central and local Electrical Trades Committees. Represented all trades on SA Apprentices’ Advisory Committee; Represented electrical trades on the Apprentices’ Trade School Committee.
• Member of Electrical Approvals and the Electrical Wiring Rules Section of Standards Association of Australia. SA Branch representative on National Safety Council. Appointed member of SA Government’s Electricity Trust in January 1950.
• Cause of death: broncho pneumonia (3 days), chronic bronchitis (years), emphysema (years) and renal failure (1 week).

Sources
Electrical Trades Journal, 31 Mar. 1950 p.1; ETU News, Jan. 1960 p.5