Biographical entry Curtin, John Joseph (1885 - 1945)
- Born
- 8 January 1885
Creswick, Victoria - Died
- 5 July 1945
- Occupation
- Politician - Federal - MHR and Trade Union - Organiser
Summary
Born on the 8th January 1885 at Creswick, Victoria, Curtin became involved in the Labor movement from an early age. By 1911 Curtin became organising secretary of the sawmillers' union, a position he held until 1915, citing the 'stress and storm of trade union responsibility' as a contributing factor in leaving. In 1917 Curtin was appointed editor of the Western Australian branch of the Australian Workers' Union publication 'Westralian Worker'. Aside from helping to make the Westralian Worker the best Australian Labor paper, Curtin also attained the office of State District President of the Australian Journalists' Association in 1920 and strongly supported the Workers' Educational Association. Ultimately winning the Federal seat of Fremantle in 1928 he rose a year later to the caucus executive. Despite losing his seat in 1931, Curtin was back in parliament by 1934 using this brief enforced political hiatus to work as publicity officer for the Perth Trades Hall Council. Impressing with his oratory, Curtin rose quickly through the ranks of the Australian Labor Party so that in 1941 he became Prime Minister of Australia. Curtin died whilst still in office on the 5th July 1945.
Related entries
Union Membership(s)
Archival resources
John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library
- Timber Worker articles by or relating to John Curtin, 1913 - 1915, JCPML00615/1-56; John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Details
National Archives of Australia, National Office
- Papers - Ben Chifley, 1940 - 1949; National Archives of Australia, National Office. Details
- Papers - John Curtin, 1938 - 1947; National Archives of Australia, National Office. Details
National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection
Published resources
Books
- Day, David, John Curtin: A Life, HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd, Pymble, New South Wales, 1999, 610 pp. Details
Book Sections
- Serle, Geoffrey, 'Curtin, John', in Ritchie, John (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 13, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1993, pp. 550-558. Details
Edited Books
- Grattan, Michelle (ed.), Australian Prime Ministers, New Holland Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd, Australia, 2001, 512 pp. Details
Online Resources
- 'Primary description of person CP 258 - The Rt Hon John Joseph Ambrose Curtin PC', in RecordSearch, National Archives of Australia, http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/SearchOld.asp?Number=CP+258. Details
- 'John Curtin', in Australia's Prime Ministers, National Archives of Australia, http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/curtin/. Details
- John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library, http://john.curtin.edu.au. Details
- Prime Ministers of Australia: John Curtin, National Museum of Australia, 2001, http://www.nma.gov.au/education/school_resources/websites_and_interactives/primeministers/john_curtin/. Details
Bruce A. Smith
Created: 13 September 2001, Last modified: 29 November 2002