People Australia

Charles James (Charlie) Walbank (1880-1965) shearer, fettler and trade union official

Birth: 26 December 1880 at Adelong, New South Wales, son of William Richard Walbank (1822-1911), stone mason, gardener  and labour pioneer, born at Colne, Lancashire, England, and Australia Louisa Ann (Louisa), née Collins (1849-1888), born at Gawlertown, South Australia. Marriage: 14 April 1910 at Surat, Queensland, to Queensland-born Annie Margaret James (1894-1982). They had ten daughters and seven sons. Death: 25 March 1965 in Brisbane Hospital, Queensland. Religion: Anglican. 

• ‘Educated in a hard school as a nipper’. Following his father’s union activities with the formation of the stonemason’s union and agitation for an eight-hour day, the family was victimised and consigned to a poor house. In 1902 Charles was a shearer in Coonamble, New South Wales. With the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU), he was prominent in opposing the Machine Shearers Union — the employers’ union. He was blacklisted and became a swagman for twelve months.
• Miner on Lightning Ridge Opal field for four years. Moved to Surat, Queensland, where he was involved in various union and Australian Labor Party campaigns. Organised strike among carriers for which he again was blacklisted.
• Joined Queensland railway service and became chairman of the Miles sub-branch of Queensland Railway Union. Prominent in organising Murilla electorate for the ALP in 1916-1925. Active in the No conscription campaign during World War I.
• In 1918 he was the AWU representative for infirm workers of Station Hands Award in Charleville, and in 1919 was representative for hotel workers. These duties caused his railway position to be jeopardised and he was served with a writ for £100 for defamation. He also survived a campaign to be removed from the ALP.
• In 1926 he moved to Brisbane, and was active in struggles among railwaymen. Australian Railways Union State councillor, as well as for three years member of the national executive. Delegate to Queensland Trades and Labor Council. Maintenance representative on union sub-branch for twenty years.
• Was appointed justice of the peace at Miles in March 1918 and was government representative on Miles Hospital in 1923. Was government representative in Railway Appeal Board.
• Candidate for Chinchilla Shire Council in 1924 and Enoggera ward in Greater Brisbane Council in 1927. In 1929 he was selected as left-wing candidate for the State seat of Kelvin Grove but did not nominate, though he supported fellow left-winger Fred Paterson, who contested Paddington.
• Lived at Newmarket, Brisbane, in his last decades.
• Three of his sons served in the Australian Imperial Force in World War II: Mathew James Walbank (1921-1970), labourer, John Edward Walbank (1917-1997), labourer , and gunner Joseph Henry Walbank (1914-1990), a labourer, who served in the 10th Field Regiment and was a prison or war in Japan.
• Cause of death: cachexia, acute leukaemia (7 days) and anaemia.

Sources
The Advocate, 15 October 1946.