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Biographical entry Audley, Thomas (1892 - 1982)

Born
3 January 1892
South Melbourne, Victoria
Died
31 December 1982
Occupation
Trade Union - Official

Summary

The son of Irish immigrants, Tom Audley was born in South Melbourne on the 3rd January 1892. His father died when Tom was still a young child, forcing him to work part-time jobs to help maintain an income for his siblings and mother. At fourteen Audley left school to seek full-time work. Having found work with a liquor wholesaler, Audley joined the union but was smartly sacked for doing so. This act, however, only served to galvanise Audley's resolve in overcoming some of the perceived inequities of the time. Joining the No Conscription Fellowship during the First World War, he subsequently became a member, and then later, General Secretary / Treasurer of the Workers' International Industrial Union in Melbourne. For most of his working life Audley was employed in the retail trade and so became an active member of the Shop Assistants' Union. Indeed, he rose through the ranks of this union to hold every honorary office, and was eventually made a life member. Audley was also instrumental in establishing several wages boards in Victoria and even served on one of them for a number of years. Aside from this Audley was also a very active union delegate to the Trades Hall Council in Melbourne. Thomas Audley died in 1982.

Archival resources

State Library of Victoria, Australian Manuscripts Collection

  • Thomas Audley - Papers, ca. 1900-ca. 1975, c. 1900 - c. 1975, MS 11605; State Library of Victoria, Australian Manuscripts Collection. Details

Published resources

Journal Articles

  • Love, Peter, 'Tom Audley: Honourary life membership of A.S.S.L.H.', Recorder, no. 96, pp. 2-4. Details
  • Love, Peter, 'Obituary: Tom Audley', La Trobe Library Journal, vol. 8, no. 32, 1983, pp. 92-94. Details
  • Love, Peter, 'Obituary: Tom Audley', Recorder, no. 120, 1983, pp. 2-4. Details

Bruce A. Smith