People Australia

Albert Wilson, n.d.

Albert James Wilson (also known as James Aitkin Wilson) (1878-1946), carpenter, trade union official, parliamentarian and seedsman

Birth: 9 March 1878 at Glasgow, Scotland, son of Robert Muir Wilson and Lilias Armour, née Aitken. Marriage: as James Aitkin Wilson, on 31 March 1902 at Francis Street, Perth, Western Australia, with Church of Christ forms, to Beatrice Maud Baker (1878-1961), dressmaker, born in Norfolk, England. They had one daughter and two sons Death: 21 March 1946 in his residence at Queen’s Parade, Clifton Hill, Melbourne, Victoria. 

• Arrived in Western Australia in 1895. In 1899 was secretary of the Timber Workers' Union. In 1900, as organiser for the Amalgamated Workers' Association (AWA), he worked very effectively in timber districts around Jarrahdale. In 1902 he was secretary of the Yarloop branch of the AWA. Was a colleague of Tom Beasley.
• Member of the Social Democratic Federation of WA, and of the Australian Labor Party. Contested seat of Murray in the State parliament in 1901 and in a by-election in 1902.
• Elected Labor member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for the seat of Forrest on 24 June 1904. He was expelled from the Labor Party in 1906 for criticising the minority Daglish Labor government, then held his seat as independent until 11 September 1908.
• In 1906 he visited eastern States to investigate conditions in the timber industry and censured the Labor Party for accepting expense money from Milars Karri & Jarrah Co.
• He was an unsuccessful Liberal candidate for the State seat of Roebourne in 1908 and 1911 and Forrest in 1910.
• In 1908 Wilson was manager of Weeiana Gold Mines, Roebourne. From 1911 to 1913 he managed Roselea nurseries and lived in West Perth.
• Left Western Australia about 1913 and moved to Victoria. Worked as a seedsman in Bendigo and Swan Hill. Was bankrupted in 1930.
• Cause of death: angina pectoris (2 years) and arteriosclerosis (5 years).

Sources
David Black and Geoffrey Bolton, Biographical Register of members of the parliament of Western Australia, vol 1, 1870-1930, (Perth, 1990) ; D. J. Murphy (ed), Labor in Politics: State Labor Parties in Australia, 1880-1920 (St Lucia, Qld, 1975).