James Griffiths | |
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Member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia | |
In office 22 May – 21 June 1916 | |
Preceded by | Robert McKenzie |
Succeeded by | James Cunningham |
Constituency | North-East Province |
Personal details | |
Born | Kangaroo Flat, Victoria, Australia | 26 June 1872
Died | 21 June 1916 43) Boulder, Western Australia, Australia | (aged
Political party | Labor |
James B. Griffiths (26 June 1872 – 21 June 1916) was an Australian trade unionist and Labor Party politician. He was elected to the Legislative Council of Western Australia in May 1916, representing North-East Province, but died after less than a month in office.
Griffiths was born in Kangaroo Flat, Victoria, to Rebecca (née Watts) and James Griffiths.[1] He came to Western Australia in 1895, during the gold rush, and subsequently worked as a prospector in the Mount Margaret district. Griffith had a long involvement with the Miners' Union, at various points serving as a branch secretary in Mount Margaret, Murrin Murrin, and Gwalia. He first ran for parliament at the 1911 election, but lost a Labor preselection ballot to George Foley in the seat of Mount Leonora. He also contested Labor preselection for North-East Province in 1912 and 1914, losing to Dick Ardagh and Harry Millington, respectively. Griffiths was eventually preselected for North-East Province in 1916, and was elected with a large majority. He had suffered from heart trouble for some time, and died in Boulder less than a month after his term began, without ever taking his seat.[2][3] Griffiths had married Elizabeth Evelyn Lalor in 1912, with whom he had one daughter.[1]
References
- 1 2 James Griffiths, Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
- ↑ "DEATH OF J. GRIFFITHS, M.L.C.", The Daily News, 21 June 1916.
- ↑ "Death of Mr J Griffiths, M.L.C.", The Leonora Miner, 24 June 1916.