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Member Details

Mr Thomas BAVISTER (1850 - 1923)

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Date of Birth: 01/01/1850
Place of Birth: Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Date of Death: 02/01/1923
Place of Death: Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Library Committee No. 4 28 Jun 1898 08 Jul 1898 11 days
Library Committee No.3 28 Apr 1897 10 Dec 1897 7 months 13 days
Borough of Lithgow Validating Bill Committee No.31 07 Oct 1896 21 Oct 1896 15 days Chairman
Claim of Mr. Alfred J.Hack Committee No.28 22 Sep 1896 16 Nov 1896 1 month 26 days
Senior Sergeant Vaughan’s Reduction and Removal from Narrandera Committee No.24 08 Sep 1896 29 Oct 1896 1 month 22 days
Case of Staff Sergeant W.Jiffkins Committee No.11 30 Jun 1896 26 Aug 1896 1 month 28 days
The Abattoirs Committee No.8 02 Jun 1896 12 Nov 1896 5 months 11 days
Refreshment Committee No.4 14 May 1896 16 Nov 1896 6 months 3 days
Application of Mr J.F Connelly to mine in the parish of Currajong Committee No.13 15 Oct 1895 18 Dec 1895 2 months 4 days
Holt’s Wingello Estate Bill. Committee No. 6 12 Sep 1895 08 Jul 1898 2 years 9 months 27 days
Refreshment. Committee No. 4 20 Aug 1895 08 Jul 1898 2 years 10 months 19 days
Elections and Qualifications. Committee No. 5 14 Aug 1895 08 Jul 1898 2 years 10 months 25 days
Member for Ashfield 24 Jul 1895 08 Jul 1898 2 years 11 months 15 days
Resumption of Land, Woolloomooloo Bay. Committee No. 13 29 Nov 1894 05 Jul 1895 7 months 7 days
Holt’s Wingello Estate Bill. Committee No. 9 13 Nov 1894 05 Jul 1895 7 months 23 days
Elections and Qualifications No. 5 07 Aug 1894 05 Jul 1895 10 months 29 days
Member for Ashfield 17 Jul 1894 05 Jul 1895 11 months 19 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 23 Jan 1894 11 Jun 1894 4 months 20 days
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 27 Sep 1893 08 Dec 1893 2 months 12 days
Lee and Brady Settlement Bill Committee No.19 14 Feb 1893 01 Mar 1893 16 days
Simpson’s Railway Bill Committee No.12 16 Nov 1892 21 Dec 1892 1 month 6 days
Refreshment Committee No.7 05 Oct 1892 18 Oct 1892 14 days
Application for a Free Pass made by Mr Black, MP Committee No.27 17 Dec 1891 21 Mar 1891 0 days
Member for Canterbury 17 Jun 1891 25 Jun 1894 3 years 9 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 17 Jun 1891 08 Jul 1898 7 years 22 days
Political Party Activity
Australian Labor Party (ALP). Elected as Labor in 1891 and was the first Parliamentary Party Secretary. He signed the first caucus pledge but refused to sign a new pledge in 1893. Independent Labor 1894; Free Trade 1895.
Community Activity
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Family moved to Bedfordshire. Educated at the local school. At 14 became a messenger boy and an apprentice bricklayer. Returned to Sheffield in 1871 and joined the United Operative Bricklayers Trade Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Became Secretary of the local branch for six years; Member of the Central Executive and Assistant Secretary to the General Council between 1877 and 1882. Represented the union at the 1875 Trade Union Congress and joined the demonstration supporting Samuel Plimsoll in London. After arriving in Sydney in 1883, worked as a bricklayer, representing the United Operative Bricklayers' Society of New South Wales on the Trades and Labor Council of 1889-90. Was Secretary of the Building Trades Council between 1895-1899 and an active delegate of the Sydney Labor Council 1900-1908. Was employed by the Department of Public Works and also the foreman of works at Long Bay Gaol.
Military Service
Honours Received
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of Joseph Bavister, a platelayer, and his wife Kesiah Langley. Married Harriet Green on 3 September 1873. Emigrated to Sydney in 1883. Methodist faith.
Additional Information
Australian Dictionary of Biography, volume seven Members of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales 1856-1901

The Parliament of New South Wales acknowledges and respects the traditional lands of all Aboriginal people, and pays respects to all Elders past and present. We acknowledge the Gadigal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Parliament of New South Wales stands.