Gregor McGregor was an Australian politician who served as a Senator for South Australia from 1901 until his death in 1914, representing the Labor Party.
20 Facts About Gregor McGregor
2.
Gregor McGregor was the party's inaugural Senate leader, and served three terms as Leader of the Government in the Senate.
3.
Gregor McGregor was the son of Jane and Malcolm McGregor.
4.
Gregor McGregor's father was a gardener, and in 1854 the family moved to County Tyrone, Ireland, where he became the chief gardener to Sir Gerald Aylmer.
5.
Gregor McGregor later spent two years working as an agricultural labourer in England, and then returned to Scotland to work in the Glasgow shipyards.
6.
Gregor McGregor initially worked as an agricultural labourer, and for a period he was employed by Richard Baker, one of his future Senate colleagues.
7.
In 1885, McGregor moved to Victoria and found work as a stonemason.
8.
Gregor McGregor returned to South Australia in 1891 and continued working in the construction industry.
9.
Gregor McGregor was active in the United Builders' Labourers Society, and in 1892 was elected to the United Trades and Labour Council of South Australia.
10.
In 1893, McGregor became president of the United Political Labor League, a forerunner of the modern Labor Party.
11.
Gregor McGregor was elected to the South Australian Legislative Council the following year, becoming one of the first members of his party in any Australian parliament.
12.
At the inaugural 1901 federal election, McGregor was elected to the Senate as one of six South Australian senators, and the only one from the Labor Party.
13.
Gregor McGregor was the final senator to be elected, recording only 644 more votes than his nearest opponent, Andrew Kirkpatrick.
14.
Gregor McGregor's party held the balance of power, and he soon told the Senate that "we are for sale".
15.
In mid-1914, McGregor took leave from parliament due to ill health.
16.
Gregor McGregor's death came during the 1914 election campaign, and after he had already nominated himself as a candidate.
17.
Gregor McGregor was given a state funeral and buried at West Terrace Cemetery.
18.
Gregor McGregor remarried in 1882 to Sarah Ann Brock, who was a widow.
19.
Gregor McGregor experienced a gradual deterioration in his vision, which he attributed to an accident he had shortly after arriving in Australia.
20.
Gregor McGregor compensated for his blindness with a memory described as "astounding", able to recite lengthy passages perfectly after hearing them read out loud, usually by his mother-in law.