Hugh de Largie
Encyclopedia
Hugh de Largie was an inaugural member of the Australian Senate
in Western Australia
for the Australian Labor Party
, National Labor Party
, and Nationalist Party of Australia
from 1901 to 1922.
mines, where he became involved in the labour movement
.
in 1884 and they migrated first to Queensland
in 1887 then to Newcastle
in New South Wales
where, in addition to mining, de Largie acted as a union delegate and secretary of the local branches of the Australian Socialist League and the Labor Electoral League.
De Largie's union activities eventually led to his ban from working as a miner in Newcastle, forcing him to move to the Western Australia
n goldfields in 1896. In Kalgoorlie
, de Largie continued his involvement in the labour movement, taking a leading role in the January 1897 amalgamation of a number of mining unions into the Amalgamated Workers Union
(AWA), serving as its foundation president. Under de Largie's presidency, the AWA became the most important union in the colony.
De Largie's role with the AWA led to his prominence in labour politics and de Largie was elected president of the goldfields division of the joint Labor parliamentary committee in April 1899 and inaugural chair of the Western Australian Trades Union and Labor Congress.
De Largie campaigned heavily in favour of Federation
and became the official goldfields Senate candidate of the Western Australian labour movement at the inaugural federal election in 1901.
Described as "an equable, humourless person" who spoke in a 'plain and fearless fashion' with a pronounced Scots accent, Senator de Largie advocated the White Australia Policy
, old age pensions for white people, protectionism and a state bank. In 1907 he warned that Western Australia was in anti-Federation mood due to the lack of a transnational railway and in 1909 announced his support for compulsory military service, arguing that the Boers
lost their independence because they were unable to defend themselves.
De Largie was appointed Labor
whip
in the Senate in 1907 (until 1914) and ministerial whip from 1910 to 1913 and 1917 to 1922. During World War I
, de Largie argued strongly in favour of conscription and saw Western Australia voted strongly in favour of conscription during the referenda on the matter. As a result, de Largie followed Australian Prime Minister
Billy Hughes
out of the Australian Labor Party in the conscription split of 1916. de Largie became first a member of the National Labor Party
before joining the Nationalist Party of Australia
. De Largie lost his seat at the 1922 election
.
and set up the Association of Members of the First Federal Parliament. In 1940 he moved to Sydney
and, following the death of his first wife, on 8 January 1946, he married Elizabeth Jeannie Marie Renoua Renouard. She and the four children (three girls and a boy) of his earlier marriage survived him when he died in Randwick, New South Wales
.
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,...
in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
for 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...
, National Labor Party
National Labor Party
The National Labor Party was the name used by the Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes for himself and his followers after he was expelled from the Australian Labor Party in November 1916 over his pro-conscription stance in relation to World War I...
, and Nationalist Party of Australia
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
from 1901 to 1922.
Early life
Born in Airdrie, Scotland, de Largie was the son of coalminer Archibald and his wife Mary, née McLaren, both of whom died while he was very young. De Largie, a devout Roman Catholic, left school at 10 to work in the LanarkshireLanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
mines, where he became involved in the labour movement
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
.
Union activism
De Largie married Mary McGregor in GlasgowGlasgow
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...
in 1884 and they migrated first 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 1887 then to Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
where, in addition to mining, de Largie acted as a union delegate and secretary of the local branches of the Australian Socialist League and the Labor Electoral League.
De Largie's union activities eventually led to his ban from working as a miner in Newcastle, forcing him to move to the Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
n goldfields in 1896. In Kalgoorlie
Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
Kalgoorlie, known as Kalgoorlie-Boulder, is a town in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, and is located east-northeast of state capital Perth at the end of the Great Eastern Highway...
, de Largie continued his involvement in the labour movement, taking a leading role in the January 1897 amalgamation of a number of mining unions into the Amalgamated Workers Union
Amalgamated Workers Union
The Amalgamated Workers Union is a trade union in Trinidad and Tobago. The bulk of its members are employed by the Port of Spain City Corporation....
(AWA), serving as its foundation president. Under de Largie's presidency, the AWA became the most important union in the colony.
De Largie's role with the AWA led to his prominence in labour politics and de Largie was elected president of the goldfields division of the joint Labor parliamentary committee in April 1899 and inaugural chair of the Western Australian Trades Union and Labor Congress.
Political career
Federation of Australia
The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia formed one nation...
and became the official goldfields Senate candidate of the Western Australian labour movement at the inaugural federal election in 1901.
Described as "an equable, humourless person" who spoke in a 'plain and fearless fashion' with a pronounced Scots accent, Senator de Largie advocated the White Australia Policy
White Australia policy
The White Australia policy comprises various historical policies that intentionally restricted "non-white" immigration to Australia. From origins at Federation in 1901, the polices were progressively dismantled between 1949-1973....
, old age pensions for white people, protectionism and a state bank. In 1907 he warned that Western Australia was in anti-Federation mood due to the lack of a transnational railway and in 1909 announced his support for compulsory military service, arguing that the Boers
Afrikaner
Afrikaners are an ethnic group in Southern Africa descended from almost equal numbers of Dutch, French and German settlers whose native tongue is Afrikaans: a Germanic language which derives primarily from 17th century Dutch, and a variety of other languages.-Related ethno-linguistic groups:The...
lost their independence because they were unable to defend themselves.
De Largie was appointed Labor
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...
whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
in the Senate in 1907 (until 1914) and ministerial whip from 1910 to 1913 and 1917 to 1922. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, de Largie argued strongly in favour of conscription and saw Western Australia voted strongly in favour of conscription during the referenda on the matter. As a result, de Largie followed Australian Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Billy Hughes
Billy Hughes
William Morris "Billy" Hughes, CH, KC, MHR , Australian politician, was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia from 1915 to 1923....
out of the Australian Labor Party in the conscription split of 1916. de Largie became first a member of the National Labor Party
National Labor Party
The National Labor Party was the name used by the Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes for himself and his followers after he was expelled from the Australian Labor Party in November 1916 over his pro-conscription stance in relation to World War I...
before joining the Nationalist Party of Australia
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
. De Largie lost his seat at the 1922 election
Australian federal election, 1922
Federal elections were held in Australia on 16 December 1922. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Nationalist Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia Billy Hughes lost its majority...
.
Later years
In retirement de Largie remained in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and set up the Association of Members of the First Federal Parliament. In 1940 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...
and, following the death of his first wife, on 8 January 1946, he married Elizabeth Jeannie Marie Renoua Renouard. She and the four children (three girls and a boy) of his earlier marriage survived him when he died in Randwick, New South Wales
Randwick, New South Wales
Randwick is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Randwick is located 6 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Randwick...
.