Gregor McGregor
Encyclopedia
The Hon. Gregor McGregor (18 October 1848 - 13 August 1914) was an influential Australia
n politician and trade union
leader of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.
Born in Kilmun, Argyll
, Scotland
, McGregor worked in the Glasgow
ship building yards prior to his emigration to the colony of South Australia
in 1877. Initially working as a builder's labourer and a gardener, McGregor became involved in the union movement, rising to the position of President and Secretary of the United Builders Labourers' Association and President of the Trades and Labour Council, which inevitably led to his involvement in the formation of the Labor Party, and served as President of the United Labor Party in 1893/94.
Although suffering from deteriorating eyesight that would eventually leave him legally blind, McGregor became one of the first Australian Labor Members of Parliament when he was elected as a Member of the South Australian Legislative Council
in 1894, serving in the Council until his resignation in May 1901 in order to accept a position as a Senator
for South Australia. He compensated for his blindness with a memory described as "astounding", able to recite lengthy passages perfectly after hearing them read, usually by his mother-in law. As a Senator, McGregor served in Australian Labor Party
government cabinets as Vice-President of the Executive Council
prior to his death in 1914. He served as the party's first leader in the Senate and first Deputy Leader (at the time, the two posts were equivalent).
McGregor married twice but had no children. He died of a heart condition at his home in Unley
, survived by his second wife and stepson.
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 and trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
leader of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.
Born in Kilmun, Argyll
Argyll
Argyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western coast between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath...
, 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...
, McGregor worked in the Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
ship building yards prior to his emigration to the colony of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
in 1877. Initially working as a builder's labourer and a gardener, McGregor became involved in the union movement, rising to the position of President and Secretary of the United Builders Labourers' Association and President of the Trades and Labour Council, which inevitably led to his involvement in the formation of the Labor Party, and served as President of the United Labor Party in 1893/94.
Although suffering from deteriorating eyesight that would eventually leave him legally blind, McGregor became one of the first Australian Labor Members of Parliament when he was elected as a Member of the South Australian Legislative Council
South Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the House of Assembly...
in 1894, serving in the Council until his resignation in May 1901 in order to accept a position as a Senator
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
for South Australia. He compensated for his blindness with a memory described as "astounding", able to recite lengthy passages perfectly after hearing them read, usually by his mother-in law. As a Senator, McGregor served in 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...
government cabinets as Vice-President of the Executive Council
Vice-President of the Executive Council
The Vice-President of the Federal Executive Council is a position in Australian federal governments, whose holder acts as presiding officer of the Federal Executive Council in the absence of the Governor-General....
prior to his death in 1914. He served as the party's first leader in the Senate and first Deputy Leader (at the time, the two posts were equivalent).
McGregor married twice but had no children. He died of a heart condition at his home in Unley
Unley, South Australia
Unley is an inner-southern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. The relatively wealthy area lies within the City of Unley. The suburb is the home of the Sturt Football Club, an SANFL team...
, survived by his second wife and stepson.