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Sydney Harold (Syd) Venables (1886–1959)

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Sydney Harold (Syd) Venables (1886-1959) miner and trade union official

Birth: 5 October 1886 at Laura, South Australia, son of English-born parents William Henry Venables (1836-1904), from Cookham, Berkshire, and Tryphena Downing Smith (1844-1912), from Winterbourne Gunner, Amesbury, Wiltshire. Marriage: 7 March 1906 with Methodist forms at the bride’s residence in Broken Hill, New South Wales, to Ruby May Plint (1889-1984), born at Riverton, SA. They had three daughters and two sons. Death: 19 September 1959 in Lachlan Park Hospital, New Norfolk, Tasmania; usual residence Station Street, Moonah, Hobart. 

  • Three of his children were born in Laura, South Australia.
  • The family moved to Broken Hill in 1894. Syd worked as a miner on surface at Block 10; one year later he worked underground at South Mine. He was later a miner at South Blocks with the Zinc Corporation.
  • Venables was involved in the successful struggle for a 44 hour-week at the mine. He was active in the strike of 1917 in support of railway workers and coal miners and the year-and-one-half strike of 1919 for better conditions. He was a member of the distress committee during and after the Big Strike and of the first Zinc Job Committee.
  • Periodically for 30 years, he served on the management committee of the Workers’ Industrial Union of Australia. He was a WIUA representative on the Barrier Industrial Council for 25 years.
  • Also chairman of the Amalgamated Miners’ Association Band, he was one of the organisers of the concerts conducted in the strike periods and generally associated with dancing in the city.
  • He was a member of the Zinc Picnic Committee. He was vice-chairman of the Horse Drivers' and Wholesale Employees' Union for a short time when he worked outside of the mines.
  • In addition, he was chairman of the Central Football Club, president of the Central Parents and Citizens' Association for a term and life member of the Hospital board.
  • Venables moved to Hobart, Tasmania, in 1949. Some of the details he gave in interviews about his time in Broken Hill were inaccurate.
  • Cause of death: myocardial degeneration (coroner’s inquest). 

Sources
Barrier Daily Truth (Broken Hill), 19 February 1949.

Additional Resources and Scholarship

  • interview, Barrier Daily Truth (Broken Hill, NSW), 19 February 1949, p 3

Citation details

'Venables, Sydney Harold (Syd) (1886–1959)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/venables-sydney-harold-syd-35219/text44562, accessed 17 January 2026.

© Copyright People Australia, 2012

Life Summary [details]

Birth

5 October, 1886
Laura, South Australia, Australia

Death

19 September, 1959 (aged 72)
New Norfolk, Tasmania, Australia

Cause of Death

heart disease

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