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Alexander McCallum (28 October 1877 – 12 July 1937) was an Australian politician. He was the Labor member for South Fremantle in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1921 to 1935. He was Minister for Works from 1924 to 1930. From 1933 to 1935 he was Deputy Premier of Western Australia and Minister for Public Works and Labour. He also represented the South Fremantle Football Club in the Western Australian National Football League in one match during the 1904 season.

In December 1924 a strike was instigated by the Seamen's Union.

While the media viewed the union leader Thomas Fox with cynicism, McCallum was considered a moderate around the issue who is able to see both points of view of the conflict.

Early life

McCallum was born on 28 October 1877 in Thebarton, South Australia. He was the son of Margaret (née McPhee) and Hugh McCallum; his father worked as a labourer.

McCallum was raised on his parents' farm in Thebarton. He attended public schools until the age of twelve, when he began working at a printer's office. He was briefly indentured to a harness-maker, then at the age of fourteen was apprenticed to a bookbinder. He also volunteered for military service in South Australia's colonial forces as a member of the infantry militia.

McCallum completed his apprenticeship with the firm of E. S. Wigg & Son and in 1898 transferred to work in the company's Perth branch. He left Wigg & Son in 1900 and began working for the Government Printing Office. He was also a talented sportsman, competing in running races and playing with the South Fremantle and West Perth Football Clubs in the West Australian Football League.

References

1. ^ Birman, Wendy (1986). "Alexander (Alick) McCallum (1877–1937)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
2. "Footballers in the House" (PDF). Retrieved 30 September 2011.
3. "The Shipping Strike". The Bundaberg Mail. Vol. 54, no. 8, 858. Queensland, Australia. 9 December 1924. p. 6. Retrieved 2 January 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
4. Sharp, Patsy (1995). Tom Fox: Champion of the Fremantle Lumpers. Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Western Australian Historical Society (INC.) Volume 11, Part 1. p. 39. ISSN 0312-6145.
5. ^ McCallum, Carolyne; Wallace, Lesley (2005). "Growing up in South Australia 1877–1897". Alex McCallum: an extraordinary Western Australian. John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
6. McCallum, Carolyne; Wallace, Lesley (2005). "Rising through the union ranks 1898–1911". Alex McCallum: an extraordinary Western Australian. John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Retrieved 25 May 2024.

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