Date of Birth: 01/01/1873
Place of Birth: Edinburgh, Scotland
Date of Death: 06/11/1928
Place of Death: Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
| Assistant Colonial Treasurer |
19 Sep 1927 |
18 Oct 1927 |
1 month |
|
| Acting Minister for Labour and Industry |
27 May 1927 |
17 Sep 1927 |
3 months 22 days |
|
| Honorary Minister |
27 May 1927 |
18 Sep 1927 |
3 months 23 days |
|
| Member of the NSW Legislative Council |
30 Aug 1921 |
06 Nov 1928 |
7 years 2 months 8 days |
Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 30 August 1921. |
Political Party Activity
Australian Labor Party (ALP). Active in an anti-conscription campaign, strong Lang supporter, ALP treasurer and campaign director in 1927.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Journalist. Educated at Moray House and Heriott-Watt College, Edinburgh; employed as a librarian in Edinburgh and Glasgow; member of staff of John Menzies and Company., publishers; arrived in Brisbane in the early 1890s; worked on Sir Charles Lilley's Chronicle; edited Drakes Progress which soon folded; went to the Sun in Brisbane; contributor to Australian Worker; Reuters representative in Brisbane and Sydney; advertising representative for the Australian Worker from c.1911 and later for the Labor Daily. Helped to found a clerical and professional workers union in the 1890s.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of Robert John Cruickshank, tailor, and Isabel Drysdale. Married Maude Mary Leonard on 11 March 1920 at North Sydney and had issue, 1 daughter and 2 sons. Northern Suburbs Presbyterian cemetery.
