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Former Member Details

Mr Robert Arthur KING (1886 - 1960)

Member Photo
Date of Birth: 09/04/1886
Place of Birth: Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Date of Death: 27/02/1960
Place of Death: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 23 Apr 1934 27 Feb 1960 25 years 10 months 5 days A Member of the indirectly elected Council 1934 - 1978. Date of Election 7 November 1933, 14 march 1946 and 21 November 1957. A Member before reconstitution.
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 24 Nov 1931 22 Apr 1934 2 years 4 months 30 days Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 23 November 1931
Political Party Activity
Australian Labor Party (ALP). Expelled by special conference in August 1936, member of central executive from 1927 until 1928, 1939 until 1952. Delegate to federal conference from 1936 until 1953.
Community Activity
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Saddler and union organiser. Educated in private schools in Launceston, Tasmania. Apprenticed to saddlery trade in Launceston, became active in Saddlers' Union in c.1908 and as a result found difficulty in obtaining employment; moved to New South Wales in c.1916, president of Saddlers' Union for three years; assistant secretary of the Trades and Labor Council (TLC) in 1923, organiser from 1930 until 1934, secretary from 1935 until 1958; became full time manager of radio station 2KY; director of radio station 2HD in Newcastle; secretary of circulation committee of Labor Daily in 1938; vice president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) from 1935 until 1960, delegate to May Day celebrations in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1937, to the International Labor Organisation conferences in Geneva, 1945 and 1947, to World Federation of Trade Unions in 1945; member of War Workers' Housing Trust from 1939 until 1945; member of Commonwealth advisory committee on immigration in 1945.
Military Service
Honours Received
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of Robert King, tailor, and Louisa Barrett. Married Florence May Mullins in 1916 and had issue, 2 daughters. Burial at Rookwood crematorium.
Additional Information

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.