12 Facts About Jack Baddeley

John Marcus Baddeley was an Australian politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 25 March 1922 to 8 September 1949.

Jack Baddeley was born in Burslem, Staffordshire, England and migrated to Australia with his family at the age of two.

Jack Baddeley was educated at Merewether public school, but left at eleven to do odd jobs in the Glebe colliery near Merewether and then worked as a coal miner.

Jack Baddeley moved to Cessnock in 1908 to work at Neath Colliery and later at Aberdare Extended Colliery.

Jack Baddeley became a cricketer, first-grade footballer and militant socialist trade union leader.

Jack Baddeley was a councillor of Cessnock Shire from January until October 1914 and was the first president of the Australian Coal and Shale Employees' Federation from 1915 until 1922.

Jack Baddeley was the Labor Party member for Newcastle from 1922 to 1927 and member for Cessnock from 1927 until 1949.

Jack Baddeley was Secretary for Mines and Minister for Labour and Industry in the first and second Lang governments.

Jack Baddeley supported Lang during the Labor factionalism of the 1930s, but he supported McKell's election as leader in 1939.

Jack Baddeley was Deputy Premier, Colonial Secretary and Secretary for Mines in the McKell and McGirr governments from May 1941 until his retirement in September 1947, Minister for National Emergency Services from June 1944 to his retirement and Minister for Labour and Industry and Social Welfare from October 1947 to March 1948.

Jack Baddeley was acting Premier from August to December 1948, when he had a heart attack.

Jack Baddeley was chairman of State Coal Mine Authority from his retirement until his death of cerebrovascular disease at St Luke's Hospital in the Sydney suburb of Darlinghurst, survived by his wife, two sons and three daughters.