17 Facts About Anderson Dawson

Andrew Dawson, usually known as Anderson Dawson, was an Australian politician and unionist who served as the 14th premier of Queensland for one week from the 1 to the 7 of December 1899.

When he was six, his mother died in a fire, and Dawson was placed in Diamantina orphanage in Brisbane.

Anderson Dawson began work as a miner at Charters Towers, in 1887 married the Irish widow Caroline Ryan, nee Quinn, and later was elected first president of the Miners' Union.

Anderson Dawson was president, and later organiser, of the district council of the Australian Labour Federation.

Anderson Dawson took up journalism and for a time was editor of the local newspaper, the radical The Charters Towers Eagle.

Anderson Dawson was elected to the Local Council in Charters Towers.

Anderson Dawson entered politics at the 1893 election, as one of the two Labor candidates for Charters Towers in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland.

Anderson Dawson won the seat, and retained it at the 1896 and 1899 elections.

Anderson Dawson was inspired by Marxist economics, and performed speeches to the Social Democratic Federation on Marx and issues surrounding surplus labour.

At the first Federal election for the Senate in 1901, Anderson Dawson was returned at the head of the Queensland Labor ticket.

Anderson Dawson struggled with alcoholism, and was absent from parliament for periods, frustrating his colleagues.

Anderson Dawson proposed a military restructure which eliminated Hutton's position, which was adopted by his successor after the ousting of the Watson government, resulting in Hutton's resignation and return to England.

Anderson Dawson subsequently changed his mind, but the executive refused to reinstate him, so he ran as an independent.

Anderson Dawson was unable to find work in Melbourne, and returned to Queensland in 1909, while his wife and four children remained in Melbourne.

Anderson Dawson was admitted to the Brisbane General Hospital on 6 July 1910 and was expected to recover, but died of the effects of alcoholism on 20 July 1910.

Anderson Dawson was buried in Toowong Cemetery on 21 July 1910.

The Federal electoral division of Anderson Dawson is named after him.