Thomas Mutch
Encyclopedia
Thomas Davies Mutch was an Australian politician.
Born in London
to busdriver William Murdoch Mutch and Sarah Davies, he arrived in New South Wales
in 1887 and was educated at Double Bay
Public School. He was subsequently a shearer for four years and joined the Australian Workers' Union
, becoming a staff worker in 1903 and helping to found the Australian Writers and Artists Union in 1910. On 23 September 1912 he married Edith Marjorie Hasenham; he would remarry on 26 March 1928 Dorothy Anette Joyce at Melbourne
, with whom he would have two children. From 1915 to 1916 he was New South Wales president and federal vice-president of the Australian Journalists' Association, and was convicted of incitement after the 1917 general strike
. He was an alderman at Mascot
from 1923 to 1930 and Randwick
from 1931 to 1937. Having been a member of the Australian Labor Party
's central executive from 1913 to 1917, he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
in 1917 as the Labor member for Botany
. He served as Minister of Public Instruction from 1921 to 1922 and Minister for Education from 1925 to 1927, when he was expelled from the New South Wales Labor Party as a leading opponent of Premier Jack Lang
. Defeated as an Independent Labor candidate in 1927, he became a freelance journalist and in 1931 joined the fledgling United Australia Party
. He returned to the Legislative Assembly in 1938 as the UAP member for Coogee
, but resigned from the UAP and was defeated in 1941. Mutch died at Coogee
in 1958.
Born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to busdriver William Murdoch Mutch and Sarah Davies, he arrived 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...
in 1887 and was educated at Double Bay
Double Bay, New South Wales
Double Bay is a harbourside eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Double Bay is located 4 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the Municipality of Woollahra.Double Bay takes its name...
Public School. He was subsequently a shearer for four years and 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...
, becoming a staff worker in 1903 and helping to found the Australian Writers and Artists Union in 1910. On 23 September 1912 he married Edith Marjorie Hasenham; he would remarry on 26 March 1928 Dorothy Anette Joyce at Melbourne
Melbourne
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...
, with whom he would have two children. From 1915 to 1916 he was New South Wales president and federal vice-president of the Australian Journalists' Association, and was convicted of incitement after the 1917 general strike
Australian General Strike of 1917
The General Strike of 1917 was a general strike which began in the Australian state of New South Wales and spread to other states over six weeks from 2 August to 8 September 1917.-Background:...
. He was an alderman at Mascot
Mascot, New South Wales
Mascot is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mascot is located 7 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the City of Botany Bay...
from 1923 to 1930 and Randwick
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...
from 1931 to 1937. Having been a member 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...
's central executive from 1913 to 1917, he was elected to 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...
in 1917 as the Labor member for Botany
Electoral district of Botany
Botany was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, originally created in 1894, partly replacing Redfern, and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Botany...
. He served as Minister of Public Instruction from 1921 to 1922 and Minister for Education from 1925 to 1927, when he was expelled from the New South Wales Labor Party as a leading opponent of Premier 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...
. Defeated as an Independent Labor candidate in 1927, he became a freelance journalist and in 1931 joined the fledgling United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
. He returned to the Legislative Assembly in 1938 as the UAP member for Coogee
Electoral district of Coogee
Coogee is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Bruce Notley-Smith of the Liberal Party.-Members for Coogee:-Election results:...
, but resigned from the UAP and was defeated in 1941. Mutch died at Coogee
Coogee, New South Wales
Coogee is a beachside suburb of local government area City of Randwick. It is located 8 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is also a part of the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney....
in 1958.