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Biographical entry Theodore, Edward 'Red Ted' Granville (1884 - 1950)

Born
1884
Port Adelaide, South Australia
Died
1950
Occupation
Politician - Federal - MHR, Politician - State - QLD (MLA) and Trade Union - Official

Summary

Edward Granville Theodore was educated until the age of twelve after which he worked as a gardener and farm hand, moving to the goldfields of Western Australia in 1900. After several years working as a miner in New South Wales and then Queensland, he helped form the Amalgamated Workers' Association of North Queensland and oversaw the amalgamation with the Australian Workers' Union in 1913. He was state President of the newly formed union until he resigned in 1916.

He'd embarked on a career in state politics in 1909 when he won a seat in the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Labor. He became Deputy Leader of the Labor Party in 1912 and was Deputy Premier under T.J. Ryan from 1915 until 1919, and then Premier from 1919 when Ryan resigned to enter Federal politics. Theodore entered federal politics, winning preselection for the Federal seat of Herbert in 1924, resigning the Premiership in 1925. His bid for Herbert failed but he took over the New South Wales seat of Dalley in 1927 when the sitting member withdrew. He became Treasurer and Deputy Prime Minister in Scullin's government until its demise in 1931.

Theodore's post-politics career included publishing (in partnership with Frank Packer) and mining. He died of heart disease in 1950.

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Published resources

Book Sections

  • Cain, Neville, 'Edward Theodore', in Ritchie, John (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 12, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1990, pp. 197-202. Details

See also

Bruce A. Smith

Created: 22 June 2001, Last modified: 29 November 2002