25 Facts About James McGowen

James Sinclair Taylor McGowen was an Australian politician.

James McGowen served as premier of New South Wales from 1910 to 1913, the first member of the Australian Labor Party to hold the position, and was a key figure in the party's early history in New South Wales.

James McGowen was a boilermaker by profession and soon became involved in the labour movement, becoming president of the Sydney Trades Hall in 1888.

James McGowen succeeded as party leader in 1894 and retained the position following Federation in 1901.

James McGowen became leader of the opposition after the 1904 election and led the ALP to majority government in 1910.

James McGowen was succeeded by his deputy William Holman in 1913 and expelled from the ALP following the 1916 split over conscription.

James McGowen finished his career as a Nationalist appointee to the New South Wales Legislative Council.

McGowen was the son of James McGowen, a boilermaker, and his wife Eliza Ditchfield, immigrants from Lancashire and was born at sea, on the "Western Bride", on the way to Melbourne.

James McGowen's father worked building in bridges, initially in Victoria, and later in New South Wales.

James McGowen became a member of the United Society of Boilermakers and Iron Shipbuilders of New South Wales on its establishment in 1873, he became secretary in 1874.

James McGowen entered the railways department and in 1888 was elected president of the executive of Trades Hall committee.

James McGowen worked hard and successfully to raise funds to build the Trades Hall at Sydney.

In 1891, the New South Wales Trades and Labour Council established the Labor Electoral League, which developed into Labor Party, and James McGowen stood for election to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Redfern and was one of 35 Labor candidates to win and the most experienced unionist.

James McGowen was one of three legislators to sign the "pledge" to abide by party discipline.

James McGowen strongly favoured retaining appeals to the Privy Council from the High Court, but stressed this was his personal view.

James McGowen stood for the Federal seat of South Sydney in 1901, but was narrowly defeated.

James McGowen remained Premier until 1913, but was not an effective director of the parliamentary party, preferring to leave most issues of party management to his deputy, William Holman.

In 1913, while Holman was in England, James McGowen attempted to settle a gas workers' strike by threatening to dismiss the strikers and to hire non-union workers in their stead.

James McGowen became Minister for Labour and Industry in Holman's first cabinet, holding this post until January 1914.

The James McGowen government carried out an active policy of subsidising hospitals and dispensaries in order to bring about the realisation of universal health care system.

Three of James McGowen's sons served in the Great War; one of them was killed at Gallipoli in 1915.

James McGowen remained a strong supporter of Australia's involvement in the war.

James McGowen, who favoured conscription, was expelled from the party along with many other ALP parliamentarians.

At the 1917 election James McGowen was defeated by the official Labor candidate William McKell, but his career did not end there.

James McGowen died of heart disease in the Sydney suburb of Petersham and was survived by his wife, five of their seven sons, and two daughters.