People Australia

Whitfield, John Robert Henry (Bob) (1887-1969) jockey, waterside worker and trade union official

Birth: 30 April 1887 at Chelsea, London, England, son of William Lawton Whitfield (1856-1899), born at Barbados, a labourer, later foreman at Royal Army Clothing Factory, and Margery Eliza, née Moore (1861-1954), charwoman, who signed with a mark. Marriage: 1913 in Victoria to Jean Millar Cameron (1881-1960). They had one daughter and one son. Death: 24 March 1969 in Royal Adelaide Hospital, Magill, Adelaide, South Australia; usual residence Inverary Street, Ferryden Park, Adelaide. 

• In 1901 England census, aged 13, he was working as a van guard on the railways and living with his widowed mother, described as a charwoman, at Battersea, London.
• In his youth he was associated with the racehorse industry and was apprenticed as a jockey to the English trainer John Porter. Did much riding before he migrated to Australia in about 1912. Original purpose of journey was to assist in the delivery of horses from England. Settled in Victoria and “continued his activities among racing and show horses, and piloted racers at unregistered and picnic meetings. At the Melbourne show he was seen on high jumpers owned by Mrs A. A. Laidlaw and Mr J. McKeller”.
• Moved to South Australia in 1923 and was no longer associated with racing. Joined the Port Adelaide branch of the Waterside Workers’ Federation (WWF) in 1924. Leader during a bitter strike in 1928, he was elected branch president during the strike.
• Assisted with making the branch financially viable after the financial drain on resources of the strike which eventually led to the building of a branch hall. Was branch vigilance officer in the early 1930s.
• Elected branch secretary in 1939 after the death of Fred Carr. Held office until 1953 (defeated). Elected branch president in 1954; retired in 1960. Was appointed federal president of the WWF in 1937 and was a federal councillor until 1960.
• A member of the Australian Labor Party, he contested preselection for the seat of Port Adelaide in the SA Legislative Assembly in 1933 and 1937.
• Took “a prominent part in all Protestant movements”. Was associated with several public bodies and was sometime secretary of the Alberton School Committee and in 1928 was treasurer of the relief fund for the unemployed organised by the mayor of Port Adelaide.
• Cause of death: broncho pneumonia and accidentally fractured femur.

Sources
Maritime Worker (Melbourne), 12 May 1969, p 6.