People Australia

Arthur Truscott, n.d.

Arthur Edgar (‘Red Arthur’) Truscott (1882-1975) coppersmith, trade union official and Communist 

Birth: 21 March 1882 at Woollarah, Sydney, New South Wales, son of Edwin Truscott Gill (1846-1927), born at Pembroke, Wales, United Kingdom, and Matilda Lucy, née Maguire (1854-1906), born at Armagh, Ireland. Marriage: 24 July 1907 at Raymond Terrace, NSW, to native-born Lily Ada Giggins (1885-1982). They had three daughters and two sons. Death: 27 September 1975 at Royal Newcastle Hospital; usual residence at Cardiff Road, New Lambton Heights, Newcastle, NSW. 

• Grew up in Newcastle, NSW. Left school at the age of 13 and gained work at Waratah Smelting Works, NSW.
• Apprenticed coppersmith with NSW Railways. Worked at Walsh Island and later with Varley’s Engineering Works until 1926 when he started his own engineering works in Mayfield, Newcastle, where he remained until his retirement.
• District president of Amalgamated Engineering Union about 1916.
• As a young man he was active in the Australian Labor Party and was president of the Mayfield branch from 1913 to 1915. Resigned to join the Australian Socialist Party. Active in opposition to the conscription referendums in 1916-1917.
• Joined Newcastle branch of the Communist Party of Australia and in 1923 became its secretary. Represented Newcastle at the CPA’s annual conference in Sydney and was widely acclaimed as the party’s best champion of the Workers Weekly.
• Gained the nickname of ‘Red Arthur’ and was set upon by local thugs on at least one occasion, even though he was equipped to defend himself being a regular sparring partner for his brother, Llewellyn Gilbert (Lyn) Truscott (1884-1936), who won the Lightweight Championship of Australia in 1908, served in the Australian Imperial Force in World War I, was twice wounded in action in France, and committed suicide at Botany Golf Links, Sydney, in 1936.
• Arthur was the foundation president of the May Day Committee in 1924 and continued to participate in May Day commemorations for many years after he had his own successful business.
• It is not known whether he left the CPA but he nevertheless remained sympathetic to progressive causes all of his life.
• Leading member of Islington Bowling Club but resigned when it introduced poker machines in the 1950s. He was opposed to gambling, having seen how hard won pay packets of workers quickly dissipated through this means.
• Cause of death: acute pulmonary oedema (1 week), severe congestive cardiac failure (4 months) and chronic renal failure (4 months).

Sources
Ross Edmonds, In Storm and Struggle. A History of the Communist Party in Newcastle 1920-1940 (1991).