Thomas Henry Bath,CBE(21 February 1875 – 6 November 1956) was an Australian politician, trade unionist, newspaper editor, writer, andcooperativist.A member of theLabor Party,he served as a Member of theWestern Australian Legislative Assemblybetween 1902 and 1914 for the constituencies ofHannans,Brown HillandAvon,and was alsoMinister for Educationfor a period of 79 days in 1905, andLeader of the Oppositionbetween 1906 and 1910. In later life, Bath was involved in the establishment of theUniversity of Western Australia,and also initiated severalagricultural cooperatives.
Thomas Bath | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader of the OppositionofWestern Australia | |
| In office 22 November 1905 – 3 August 1910 | |
| Premier | Newton Moore |
| Preceded by | William Johnson |
| Succeeded by | John Scaddan |
| Minister for EducationofWestern Australia | |
| In office 7 June 1905 – 25 August 1905 | |
| Premier | Henry Daglish |
| Preceded by | Henry Daglish |
| Succeeded by | Walter Kingsmill |
| Member of theWestern Australian Parliament forHannans | |
| In office 1902–1904 | |
| Preceded by | John Reside |
| Succeeded by | Wallace Nelson |
| Member of theWestern Australian Parliament forBrown Hill | |
| In office 1904–1911 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Member of theWestern Australian Parliament forAvon | |
| In office 1911–1914 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Tom Harrison |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 February 1875 Hill End,New South Wales |
| Died | 6 November 1956(aged 81) Mount Lawley,Western Australia,Australia |
| Political party | Labor Party |
Early life
editBath was born to Thomas Henry Richard Bath, a miner, and his wife Sarah Ann Bath (née Barrow), on 21 February 1875, atHill End,New South Wales,a mining town in theBlue Mountains.He emigrated to theWestern Australian Goldfieldsin 1896, and found work as a miner. The following year, after a brief sojourn in New South Wales, Bath was involved in founding the Amalgamated Workers' Association. In 1898, he was asked to head the local chapter of theKnights of Labor,a United-States–basedlabour organisation,which he represented at the 1899 trade union conference, held inCoolgardie.In September 1900, Bath, despite having no formal training in writing, became the first editor of theWestralian Worker,asocialistpublication. In July of the following year, Bath gave way toWallace Nelson.[1]
Political career
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After being appointed secretary of the Kalgoorlie and Boulder Trades and Labor Council, Bath was involved in variousfaction-fightingbetween trade unions.
Later life
editBath was a leading member of theFreemasonsin Western Australia, and was involved in the foundation of Lodge Bonnie Doon, 839, S.C., in 1897, under theScottish Rite.[2]He was made aCommander of the Order of the British Empirein 1949, for "long service to the wheatgrowing industry of the state".[3]He died at his home inMount Lawleyon 6 November 1956 from aheart attackresulting fromcoronary occlusion.
Legacy
editBath Lane, one of the minor roads in the Ballarat CBD, was named after him.
References
edit
- ^Gibbney, H. J.Bath, Thomas Henry (1875–1956)– Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
- ^Bath is included in aMontage of portraits of Western Australian Freemasons presented to J. M. F. Lapsley, Grand Master of Scottish Freemasonry in Western Australia, 19 Dec. 1911 (picture)– State Library of Western Australia. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^Wheat Men Honoured.–The West Australian.Published Wednesday, 20 July 1949. Retrieved fromTrove,28 January 2012.