James Griffiths
Member of the Legislative Council
of Western Australia
In office
22 May  21 June 1916
Preceded byRobert McKenzie
Succeeded byJames Cunningham
ConstituencyNorth-East Province
Personal details
Born(1872-06-26)26 June 1872
Kangaroo Flat, Victoria, Australia
Died21 June 1916(1916-06-21) (aged 43)
Boulder, Western Australia, Australia
Political partyLabor

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. 1 2 James Griffiths, Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  2. "DEATH OF J. GRIFFITHS, M.L.C.", The Daily News, 21 June 1916.
  3. "Death of Mr J Griffiths, M.L.C.", The Leonora Miner, 24 June 1916.
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