David McLelland
Encyclopedia
David McLelland was an Australia
n politician. He was an Australian Labor Party
member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1930 until 1932, representing the electorate of Drummoyne
.
McLelland was born in Ayrshire
in Scotland
, where he was educated to primary school level. He migrated to Australia in 1911, settling in Brisbane
, where he became a blacksmith at the Ipswich Railway Workshops. He moved to Sydney
in 1916, where he worked at Cockatoo Island
and Mort's Dock. In 1918, he was elected secretary of the Blacksmith's Society, a position he held until his election to parliament in 1930.
McLelland was the Labor candidate for the recreated Legislative Assembly seat of Drummoyne
in 1927, losing to sitting Botany MLA John Lee
. He defeated Lee on his second attempt in 1930, as Labor won office statewide. His political career was to be short-lived; Labor lost badly in 1932 after the sacking of Jack Lang
by the state Governor, and McLelland was defeated by Lee, one of many Labor MLAs to lose their seats. He retired from politics after his 1932 defeat.
McLelland undertook a correspondence course in accountancy after his defeat, but continued to be involved in the trade union movement. He was secretary of the Australian Institute of Political Science until 1939, secretary of the Blacksmith's Society from 1939 until 1944 (his role prior to entering politics), and secretary of the Metal Trades Federation from 1945 until his retirement in 1961.
He died in Sydney in 1968.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. He was an Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1930 until 1932, representing the electorate of Drummoyne
Electoral district of Drummoyne
Drummoyne is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by John Sidoti of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
.
McLelland was born in Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, where he was educated to primary school level. He migrated to Australia in 1911, settling in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, where he became a blacksmith at the Ipswich Railway Workshops. He moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1916, where he worked at Cockatoo Island
Cockatoo Island, New South Wales
Cockatoo Island is the largest island in Sydney Harbour in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Located at the junction of the Parramatta and Lane Cove rivers, Cockatoo Island is a former imperial prison, industrial school, reformatory and gaol. It was also the site of one of Australia's biggest...
and Mort's Dock. In 1918, he was elected secretary of the Blacksmith's Society, a position he held until his election to parliament in 1930.
McLelland was the Labor candidate for the recreated Legislative Assembly seat of Drummoyne
Electoral district of Drummoyne
Drummoyne is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by John Sidoti of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
in 1927, losing to sitting Botany MLA John Lee
John Lee (Australian politician)
John Robert Lee was an Australian politician.Born at Hedley Hill, Lanchester, Durham, to coalminer James Lee and Jessie Watson, he was educated at public schools in Leadgate and Durham before attending Cliff College in Sheffield...
. He defeated Lee on his second attempt in 1930, as Labor won office statewide. His political career was to be short-lived; Labor lost badly in 1932 after the sacking of Jack Lang
Jack Lang (Australian politician)
John Thomas Lang , usually referred to as J.T. Lang during his career, and familiarly known as "Jack" and nicknamed "The Big Fella" was an Australian politician who was Premier of New South Wales for two terms...
by the state Governor, and McLelland was defeated by Lee, one of many Labor MLAs to lose their seats. He retired from politics after his 1932 defeat.
McLelland undertook a correspondence course in accountancy after his defeat, but continued to be involved in the trade union movement. He was secretary of the Australian Institute of Political Science until 1939, secretary of the Blacksmith's Society from 1939 until 1944 (his role prior to entering politics), and secretary of the Metal Trades Federation from 1945 until his retirement in 1961.
He died in Sydney in 1968.