Walter Russell Crampton
Encyclopedia
Walter Russell Crampton (3 July 1877 – 20 October 1938) was an Australian trade unionist, journalist
and politician
.
, Sydney
, New South Wales
, Australia
, the eldest child of Walter James Crampton and Sarah Phillips.
He left school at age 14 and then "humped his swag" around western New South Wales. He came to Queensland in 1898.
He married Amy Maria Beadle on 02 Jan 1903 in Townsville, Queensland. They had five children: Raymond, Morrie, Madge, Jack and Jill.
He was commonly known as Jack Crampton.
Walter died on 20 October 1938 at Brisbane, Queensland after a short illness. He was cremated at the Mt Thompson Crematorium.
In 1904, he had moved to Brisbane
and became the
full-time organizer for the Australasian Federated Butchers' Employees' Union
in 1908. In this role, he worked tirelessly to unionise the abbatoirs of North Queensland. When managers would turn him away from their premises, he would slog through mud flats and bush to find a back entrance to the workplaces to talk with the workers.
Crampton sought to achieve greater unionisation in all workplaces. From 1910 to 1913, he was a member of the central political executive of the Australian Labor Federation. In 1911 he established the southern district branch of the Amalgamated Workers' Association and was involved in organising the sugar workers' strike at Mackay, Queensland
. In 1912, he became President of the Brisbane branch of the Australian Labor Federation.
He stood for election as a member of the Australian Labor Party
for the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for the seat of Windsor, but was not successful. Instead he became secretary of the Queensland branch of Australasian Federated Butchers' Employees' Union
.
He was a director of the newspapers, The Daily Standard
and The Worker
, both of which were affiliated with the Australian Labour Party. In 1914, he resigned his roles with his union to work as a journalist on The Daily Standard
, writing under the name Jack Aster.
In 1915-1917 he was appointed to the public service
as the director of labour, where he worked to reorganise the department.
In 1917 he returned to the Daily Standard as its general manager, a role he held until 1927.
In 1916-19 Crampton was a government representative on the Senate of the University of Queensland
.
Jack Crampton was a member of the Australian Labor Party
and was appointed to the Queensland Legislative Council
on 10 Oct 1917. Although it was a lifetime appointment, the Council was abolished on 23 March 1922. Jack Crampton was one of those who voted for its abolition, as it had been Labor Party policy to abolish the Council for many years.
Crampton was an alderman
of Brisbane City Council from 1921 to 1925 and then again from 1934 to 1937 in the Paddington Ward and from 1937 to his death in 1938 in the Baroona Ward. During this time, he served on the following committees:.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Personal life
Crampton was born in 1877 in RedfernRedfern, New South Wales
Redfern is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Redfern is 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney...
, 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...
, 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...
, Australia
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...
, the eldest child of Walter James Crampton and Sarah Phillips.
He left school at age 14 and then "humped his swag" around western New South Wales. He came to Queensland in 1898.
He married Amy Maria Beadle on 02 Jan 1903 in Townsville, Queensland. They had five children: Raymond, Morrie, Madge, Jack and Jill.
He was commonly known as Jack Crampton.
Walter died on 20 October 1938 at Brisbane, Queensland after a short illness. He was cremated at the Mt Thompson Crematorium.
Public Life
In April 1892 Crampton joined the Slaughtermen's Union in April 1892, beginning a lifelong association with the union movement. He moved to Queensland in 1898 and was working as a meatworker in northern Queensland where he became concerned about the conditions of working men. In particular, he was concerned that many abbatoirs would only employ workers on contracts that gave them no job security.In 1904, he had moved to 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...
and became the
full-time organizer for the Australasian Federated Butchers' Employees' Union
Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union
The Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union, better known as the Meatworkers Union, is an Australian trade union, registered with the AIRC and affiliated to the Australian Council of Trade Unions. The AMIEU was formed in 1906 as the Federated Butchers Union, and changed its name to the AMIEU in...
in 1908. In this role, he worked tirelessly to unionise the abbatoirs of North Queensland. When managers would turn him away from their premises, he would slog through mud flats and bush to find a back entrance to the workplaces to talk with the workers.
Crampton sought to achieve greater unionisation in all workplaces. From 1910 to 1913, he was a member of the central political executive of the Australian Labor Federation. In 1911 he established the southern district branch of the Amalgamated Workers' Association and was involved in organising the sugar workers' strike at Mackay, Queensland
Mackay, Queensland
Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar....
. In 1912, he became President of the Brisbane branch of the Australian Labor Federation.
He stood for election as 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...
for the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
for the seat of Windsor, but was not successful. Instead he became secretary of the Queensland branch of Australasian Federated Butchers' Employees' Union
Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union
The Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union, better known as the Meatworkers Union, is an Australian trade union, registered with the AIRC and affiliated to the Australian Council of Trade Unions. The AMIEU was formed in 1906 as the Federated Butchers Union, and changed its name to the AMIEU in...
.
He was a director of the newspapers, The Daily Standard
The Daily Standard (Brisbane)
The Daily Standard was a newspaper published in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 1912 to 1936. The newspaper was closely affiliated with the Australian Labor Party....
and The Worker
The Worker (Brisbane)
The Worker was a newspaper published in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia between 1890 and 1974. The newspaper is affiliated with the Australian Labor Party....
, both of which were affiliated with the Australian Labour Party. In 1914, he resigned his roles with his union to work as a journalist on The Daily Standard
The Daily Standard (Brisbane)
The Daily Standard was a newspaper published in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 1912 to 1936. The newspaper was closely affiliated with the Australian Labor Party....
, writing under the name Jack Aster.
In 1915-1917 he was appointed to the public service
Australian Public Service
The Australian Public Service is the Australian federal civil service, the group of people employed by federal departments, agencies and courts under the Government of Australia, to administer the working of the public administration of the Commonwealth of Australia...
as the director of labour, where he worked to reorganise the department.
In 1917 he returned to the Daily Standard as its general manager, a role he held until 1927.
In 1916-19 Crampton was a government representative on the Senate of the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
.
Jack Crampton was 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...
and was appointed to the Queensland Legislative Council
Queensland Legislative Council
The Queensland Legislative Council was the upper house of the parliament in the Australian state of Queensland. It was a fully nominated body which first took office on 1 May 1860. It was abolished by the Constitution Amendment Act 1921, which took effect on 23 March 1922.Consequently, the...
on 10 Oct 1917. Although it was a lifetime appointment, the Council was abolished on 23 March 1922. Jack Crampton was one of those who voted for its abolition, as it had been Labor Party policy to abolish the Council for many years.
Crampton was an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
of Brisbane City Council from 1921 to 1925 and then again from 1934 to 1937 in the Paddington Ward and from 1937 to his death in 1938 in the Baroona Ward. During this time, he served on the following committees:.
- Works Committee 1922 - 1924
- Health Committee 1922 - 1924
- Parks & Gardens Committee 1922 - 1924
- Lighting Committee 1922 - 1924
- Anzac Memorial Special Committee 1922 - 1924
- Markets & Wharves Committee 1922 - 1924
- Ferries & Baths Committee 1923 - 1924
- Finance Committee 1924 - 1925
- Buildings & Alignments of Roads Committee 1924 - 1925
- Legislative Committee 1924 - 1925
- Theatres & Entertainments Committee 1924 - 1925
- Town Hall Special Committee 1924 - 1925
- Health Committee 1936 - 1938
- Electricity Supply Committee 1936 - 1937
- Works Committee 1937 - 1938
- Parks Committee 1937 - 1938
- Water Supply & Sewerage Committee 1938
- Town Planning Committee 1937 - 1938 (Chair).