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Biographical entry Scullin, James Henry (1876 - 1953)

Born
1876
Trawalla, Victoria
Died
1953
Occupation
Politician - Federal - MHR

Summary

Born 18 September 1876 in Trawalla, Victoria, Scullin ran a grocer’s shop in Ballarat from 1900 to 1910. In 1906 he stood for the federal seat of Ballarat against Alfred Deakin and not surprisingly, lost. From 1906 to 1910, Scullin travelled throughout Victoria as an organiser for the Australian Workers’ Union. This helped him to establish a strong electoral base and led to his winning the seat of Corangamite in the 1910 federal elections. He lost this seat in 1913. He won the safe Labor seat of Yarra in Melbourne in 1922, and held this seat until 1949. He became deputy leader of the Labor Party in 1927 and became leader a year later. He defeated Bruce in the federal election of 1929 and served as Prime Minister until his defeat in 1931. He died in 1953.

Archival resources

National Archives of Australia, National Office

  • Papers relating to the Short Wave Broadcasting Service and other matters, 1938 - 1946, AA1972/315; National Archives of Australia, National Office. Details

National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection

  • Papers of James Henry Scullin, 1921-1947, 1921 - 1947, MS 5194; National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection. Details
  • Papers of James Henry Scullin, 1929-1939, 1929 - 1939, MS 356; National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection. Details
  • Papers of Kevin Kelly, 1910-1953, 1910 - 1953, MS 2891; National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection. Details

Published resources

Book Sections

  • Roberston, J.R., 'James Henry Scullin', in Serle, Geoffrey (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 553-557, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1988, pp. 553-557. Details

Edited Books

  • Grattan, Michelle (ed.), Australian Prime Ministers, New Holland Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd, Australia, 2001, 512 pp. Details

Online Resources

Sophie Papadopoulos