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Members’ biographical register

Edmund Harry Gray

House

MLC

Party

Labor Delegate from Operative Bakers’ Union to ALP district council

Date first elected

8 September 1923

Year Retired/Resigned

1947

Electorate(s)

West

Inaugural Speech

Parliamentary Service

Service

Electorates

MLC West Province, 8 September 1923 (by-election)–21 May 1952

Office

Minister without Portfolio, 27 August 1936–1 April 1947
Labor leader in Legislative Council in later years

Private Member's Bills

Personal Information

Birth date

5 September 1878

Place of birth

Upper Stratton St Margaret, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom

Death date

9 June 1964

Cause of death

Place of death

East Fremantle, Western Australia

Cemetery

Fremantle Cemetery, Western Australia

Arrived in WA

1910

Parents

George, ganger/factory labourer and Wilmott Barnett

Marriage and Family

Married June 1906, St Peter’s Church, Broken Hill, NSW to Fanny Munn (nee Williams), widow, daughter of John and Annie Hughes
Children: two sons and one daughter

Religion

Presbyterian

Education

Educated at council schools in Swindon to age of 14 years

Occupation

Baker, clerk, businessperson and farmer

Employment History

Apprentice, baker and confectioner, Swindon
Employee, bakery, Hull
Steward on USA ocean liner, served on several ships, arrived in South Australia 1898 on cargo boat
Employee, Port Pirie smelting works
Walked to Broken Hill, 1899 and worked in timber mill
Opened bakery and catering business
Actively supported miners during lockout, 1908–1909
Tally clerk, Fremantle Wharf, 1920
Farmer, Toolbrunup

Local Government

Member, Claremont Road Board, 9 April 1921–April 1923 Member, East Fremantle Municipal Council, 21 February 1927–29 November 1946

Principal Honours

Background/Membership

Joined Socialist Party, Broken Hill, 1896
Organiser, Westralian Farmers Co-operative
Actively supported miners during lockout, 1908–1909
Resident, Claremont until 1926, then East Fremantle
Member, Operative Bakers’ Union
Secretary, Tally Clerks’ Union
Life member, Coastal, Dock, River and Harbour Workers Union
During depression secretary, Fremantle Married Men’s Relief Committee, later chairman WA committee
State president, Infant Health Association of Western Australia
Chairman, Fremantle Hospital Board, 1936–1946

References

D Black and G Bolton, eds, Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia: volume one 1870-1930, Parliamentary History Project, Perth, WA, 2010, p. 83.
Metropolitan Cemeteries Board website. Accessed online 30 June 2022. https://portal.mcb.wa.gov.au/name-search/ns-detail/?id=1a638d51-e51c-ec11-b6e7-00224814c4b9

Bibliography

Further Information