People Australia

Frederick John Allan (Fred) Williams (1907-1969) fitter’s labourer, council employee, and trade union official

Birth: 16 December 1907 at Broken Hill, New South Wales, son of Frederick Williams (1878-1935), lamp attendant at the Zinc Corporation, and Edith Eveline, née Ellis (1888-1911). Both parents had been born in South Australia. Marriage: 19 October 1929 at the Registry Office, Port Adelaide, South Australia, to Rosie Josephine Kuram (1908-1994), born in Lebanon. They had two daughters and three sons. Death: 13 April 1969 in Broken Hill district hospital; usual residence in Warnock Street, Broken Hill. 

• Grew up in Broken Hill. His father, a notable pianist, was buried in the Methodist Cemetery. His brother Jim was a member of the Harmonica Band.
• Young Fred lived at Blende street, Broken Hill, for most of his life and his occupation in electoral rolls from 1930 to 1949 was fitter’s labourer and from 1938 to 1968 council employee.
• He was Broken Hill delegate to the federal council of the Municipal Employees’ Union (MEU) for many years. Assistant secretary of the Broken Hill branch of the MEU until the death of secretary, Eugene P. (Paddy) O’Neill, in 1953 and then became secretary.
• Delegate to Barrier Industrial Council for many years.
• President of the Broken Hill Trades Hall Trust from 1952 to 1957 at least.
• Worked at Broken Hill City Council from 1936 to 1957 at least (but in what capacity not known).
• In his youth he played with the North Broken Hill Football Club. Member of Penrose Park Trust. President of the Greyhound Racing Club.
• His occupation on his death certificate was caretaker. Cause of death: cerebral haemorrhage (15 hours), cerebellar [sic] haematoma (6 months), cerebral arteriosclerosis (1 year 3 months, arteriosclerosis (1 year 3 months) and hypertension.

Sources
Counsellor, No. 4 1957, p 14, and No. 2 1969, pp 2-3.