Date of Birth: 24/05/1876
Place of Birth: Tonyrefail, Wales
Date of Death: 22/04/1954
Place of Death: Cronulla, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
| Vice President of Executive Council and Representative of Government |
04 Nov 1930 |
02 Apr 1931 |
4 months 30 days |
|
| Vice President of Executive Council and Representative of Government |
27 May 1927 |
18 Oct 1927 |
4 months 22 days |
|
| Acting Secretary for Mines |
27 May 1927 |
17 Sep 1927 |
3 months 22 days |
|
| Member of the NSW Legislative Council |
24 Jun 1925 |
20 May 1933 |
7 years 10 months 27 days |
Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 17 June 1925 |
| Vice President of Executive Council and Representative of Government |
17 Jun 1925 |
26 May 1927 |
1 year 11 months 10 days |
Oath taken before Governor. |
Political Party Activity
Australian Labor Party (ALP), member of central executive 1916-1919; formed Industrial Socialist Labor Party in 1919, rejoined Labor, president from 1923-1925; expelled in 1933, member of Federal Labor Executive 1934-1936
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Coal miner and union secretary. Educated at Bryn Mawr Board School, Wales. Commenced work in Monmouthshire mines aged ten; bursary to London Labour College and Ruskin College, Oxford, first secretary of Cardiff Workers Educational Association; president of Western District, South Wales Miners' Federation., member of Abertillery Urban District Council and Monmouthshire County Council; ordained as a lay preacher with Church of God 1899; arrived in New South Wales in 1911, worked at Balmain Colliery; president then secretary of the Illawarra Colliery Employees' Association 1913-1915, elected to wages board 1913, foundation general secretary of the Australasian Coal and Shale Employees' Federation 1916-1925; vice president of Australian Freedom League in 1912; member of 1917 strike committee, arrested; active in One Big Union movement; foundation member Christian Fellowship Council in 1923; managing director of the Labor Daily from 1926-1931. became Agent General in London 1931-1932; conciliation commissioner and chairman of the Commonwealth Central Coal Authority 1943-1947; author in 1926.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of James Willis, sinker, and Louisa Morse. Married Alice Maud Parker on 1 October 1901, London, England and had issue, 2 daughters and 1 son. Funeral at Woronora crematorium with Church of England rites.
