Miner. Commenced work at age eleven in Lancashire cotton mill as a 'half timer'; attended classed by Phillip Snowden, became interested in the English labour movement; arrived in Australia in 1910, held various labouring jobs including railway construction in the Blue Mountains, also was a tram conductor; from 1912 was a miner on the Northern coalfields, first at Stanford Merthyr then at Pelaw Main; joined miners' union in 1912, member of committee which drew up seniority rules in 1916, chairman of Stanford Merthyr miners lodge in 1920, delegate to One Big Union conference; Miners federation delegate board; Chairman of co-operative Wholesale Society from 1925; foundation president of national Co-operative Insurance; president of the Kurri Kurri Hospital Board in 1946; Methodist lay preacher.