LAWSON, George
| Service Number: | 102 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen |
| Born: | Caboolture, Queensland, Australia, 14 August 1880 |
| Home Town: | Windsor, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Warner State School |
| Occupation: | Soldier, Trade Union Official, Politician |
| Died: | Ashgrove, Brisbane - Queensland, Australia, 25 November 1966, aged 86 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Pinnaroo Lawn Cemetery & Crematorium, Brisbane Plot: 2F-7-413 |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 102, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Mar 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 102, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 488 notes 5th QIB embarked at Pinkenba 6 Mar 1901 aboard Templemore arriving Port Elizabeth 1 Apr 1901. | |
| 5 May 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 102, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 491 notes 5th QIB embarked at Cape Town 27 Mar 1902 aboard St Andrew returning to Australia arriving Brisbane 30 Apr 1902, disbanded 5 May 1902. |
Help us honour George Lawson's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
George Lawson was born on 14 August 1880 at South Pine River- Caboolture, Queensland, a son to Alexander Lawson and Ellen Lawson (nee Rilley). He married Rebecca Jane Buchanan on 16 Jan 1907 at South Brisbane. They had two children before Rebecca passed away in 1918. He married again on 14 Sep 1935 to Kathleen Lally in Brisbane.
Prior to his service in the South African (Boer) War he drove horse teams for a Brisbane carrier. On his return from the war he founded the Brisbane Trolleymen, Draymen and Carters' Union heralding the start of his long career association with unions and politics. He served as an Alderman with the Windsor Town Council and joined the state Labor Party executive.
In 1919 he was appointed to the Legislative Council, the then Upper House of the Queensland State Parliament. He was part of the Labor Majority of the Council that voted for its abolition in 1922. He entered Federal politics winning the seat of Brisbane in the House of Representatives for the Labor Party in Dec 1931 and served over time in opposition, and in government where he served as a minister.
The above is extracted from the Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol. 15, 2000, see the link on this profile for his full biography.
(sources- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 495; Manfred Cross, Australian Dictionary of Biography- George Lawson (1880-1966), Vol. 15, 2000).
Click images to start slideshow.