Harry Boland (trade unionist)
Encyclopedia
Harold "Harry" Boland was an Australian shearer and trade unionist.
Boland was born near Grenfell
to farmer Thomas Charles Edmund Boland and Elizabeth, née Tout. He did not attend school but worked in the Bogan River
district as a shearer, wool-presser, sawmiller, tree-feller, fencer and miner. In 1905 he joined the Australian Workers' Union
(AWU), and was later emloyed as a clerk in Sydney
. He married Amy Forrest, a dressmaker, at the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Waterloo
on 13 April 1914. An organiser for the AWU from 1920, he moved to Queensland
in search of work in 1923.
In 1924 Boland was the AWU's Western District organiser, holding various positions until becoming Far Northern District secretary in 1941. He was elected Queensland president of the AWU in 1947 and Queensland president of the Australian Labor Party
in 1950, joining the federal executive. Boland, who also chaired the union's newspaper the Worker, was one of six Queensland delegates to the 1955 ALP federal conference in Hobart, where he was left to represent his state alone after the other five delegates, who included Premier Vince Gair
and state treasurer Ted Walsh, boycotted the conference over a dispute concerning the Victorian delegation. Boland was an opponent of the Industrial Groups
and supported the conference's resolution to withdraw party support from them.
The anti-Grouper attack in Queensland was led by AWU president Joe Bukowski, allowing Boland to retain friendly relations with Gair and the others. He worked unsuccessfully to avoid the deepening divisions that in 1957 led to the formation of the Queensland Labor Party
. Boland, however, did not live to see his party divide, dying in 1956 at Tingalpa
of a coronary occlusion
.
Boland was born near Grenfell
Grenfell, New South Wales
Grenfell is a country town in the Central West of New South Wales, Australia, in Weddin Shire. It is 370 kilometres west of Sydney and five hours' drive from the city. It is close to Forbes, Cowra and Young. At the 2006 census, Grenfell had a population of 1,994.-History:Prior to European...
to farmer Thomas Charles Edmund Boland and Elizabeth, née Tout. He did not attend school but worked in the Bogan River
Bogan River
The Bogan River is an inland river in the central west of New South Wales, Australia.This river rises at Goonumbla, 19 kilometres north-west of Parkes and flows in a generally north-north-westerly direction past Tottenham, Peak Hill and through Nyngan. The Bogan River is about 590 km in length...
district as a shearer, wool-presser, sawmiller, tree-feller, fencer and miner. In 1905 he joined the Australian Workers' Union
Australian Workers' Union
The Australian Workers' Union is one of Australia's largest and oldest trade unions. It traces its origins to unions founded in the pastoral and mining industries in the 1880s, and currently has approximately 135,000 members...
(AWU), and was later emloyed as a clerk in 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...
. He married Amy Forrest, a dressmaker, at the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Waterloo
Waterloo, New South Wales
Waterloo is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Waterloo is located 4 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney.-History:...
on 13 April 1914. An organiser for the AWU from 1920, he moved to Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
in search of work in 1923.
In 1924 Boland was the AWU's Western District organiser, holding various positions until becoming Far Northern District secretary in 1941. He was elected Queensland president of the AWU in 1947 and Queensland president of the 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...
in 1950, joining the federal executive. Boland, who also chaired the union's newspaper the Worker, was one of six Queensland delegates to the 1955 ALP federal conference in Hobart, where he was left to represent his state alone after the other five delegates, who included Premier Vince Gair
Vince Gair
Vincent Clare "Vince" Gair was an Australian politician. He served as Premier of Queensland from 1952 until 1957, when his stormy relations with the trade union movement saw him expelled from the Australian Labor Party. He was elected to the Australian Senate and led the Democratic Labor Party...
and state treasurer Ted Walsh, boycotted the conference over a dispute concerning the Victorian delegation. Boland was an opponent of the Industrial Groups
Industrial Groups
The Industrial Groups were groups formed by the Australian Labor Party in the late 1940s, to combat Communist Party influence in the trade unions....
and supported the conference's resolution to withdraw party support from them.
The anti-Grouper attack in Queensland was led by AWU president Joe Bukowski, allowing Boland to retain friendly relations with Gair and the others. He worked unsuccessfully to avoid the deepening divisions that in 1957 led to the formation of the Queensland Labor Party
Queensland Labor Party
The Queensland Labor Party was a political party of Queensland, Australia formed in 1957 by a breakaway group of the then ruling Australian Labor Party Government after the expulsion of Premier Vince Gair...
. Boland, however, did not live to see his party divide, dying in 1956 at Tingalpa
Tingalpa, Queensland
Tingalpa is located near Manly West and Belmont, Queensland in the Eastern suburbs of Brisbane, Australia. It is located east of the Brisbane CBD....
of a coronary occlusion
Coronary occlusion
A coronary occlusion is the partial or complete obstruction of blood flow in a coronary artery. This condition may cause a heart attack.In some patients coronary occlusion causes only mild pain, tightness or vague discomfort which may be ignored: the myocardium is however damaged....
.