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{{Short description|Australian politician}}
'''William Guthrie Spence''' (] ] - ] ]), ] ] leader and politician, played a leading role in the formation of both Australia's largest union, the ] (AWU), and the ].
{{other people}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = ]
| name = William Spence
| honorific-suffix =
| image = William Spence.jpg
| office = ]
| primeminister = ]
| term_start = 17 September 1914
| term_end = 27 October 1915
| predecessor = ]
| successor = ]
| constituency_MP2 = ]
| parliament2 = Australian
| predecessor2 = ]
| successor2 = ]
| term_start2 = 30 June 1917
| term_end2 = 13 December 1919
| constituency_MP3 = ]
| parliament3 = Australian
| majority =
| predecessor3 = ''New seat''
| successor3 = ]
| term_start3 = 29 March 1901
| term_end3 = 5 May 1917
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1846|8|7}}
| birth_place = ], Scotland
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1926|12|13|1846|8|7}}
| death_place = ], Victoria
| nationality = ]
| spouse = {{marriage|Ann Jane Savage|1871}}
| party = ] (1901–17) <br /> ] (1917–19)
| relations =
| children =
| residence =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Unionist
| profession =
| religion =
| signature =
| footnotes =
| caption = Spence in 1908
}}


'''William Guthrie Spence''' (7 August 1846 – 13 December 1926), was an Australian ] leader and politician, played a leading role in the formation of both Australia's largest union, the ], and the ].
Spence was born in the ], ], the son of a stonemason, and migrated to Australia with his family as a six-year-old child. According to ], National Secretary of the AWU, "...at the age of eight he witnessed first hand the rebellion at the ] in Ballarat which was where he reported that he got his first taste for fighting in defence of Liberty and Justice." He had no formal education and worked as a farm labourer in the ] district of ] from the age of 13. Later he acquired a gold-mining license and worked for various mining companies. In ] he was one of a number of militant mine-workers who formed the Amalgamated Miners' Association of Victoria, and he became the union's general secretary in ]. He led the union into mergers with similar unions in the other Australian colonies, forming the Amalgamated Miners' Association of Australasia. In ] Spence also helped form the Amalgamated Shearers' Union.


==Early life==
By the 1890s he had become active in the political arena. He spoke in favor of the "common good," a concept akin to the General Welfare reference in the ]:
Spence was born on the island of ] in the ], ] and migrated to ] with his family as age six. He had no formal education and worked as a farm labourer in the ] district of ] from the age of 13. Later he acquired a gold-mining licence and worked for various mining companies. In 1871, he married Ann Jane Savage.<ref name=adb>{{cite Australian Dictionary of Biography | first=Coral
| last=Lansbury
|author2=Bede Nairn
| author-link= Coral Lansbury
| title =Spence, William Guthrie (1846–1926)
|id=A060191b
| access-date = 10 May 2007}}</ref>


In 1874, Spence was one of a number of militant mine-workers who formed the Amalgamated Miners' Association of Victoria, and he became the union's general secretary in 1882. He led the union into mergers with similar unions in the other ], forming the ].<ref>{{cite web
:<small>The masses must not only take a deeper interest in political questions, but they must make the politics of the country. The welfare of the people must be raised to the first place-must be the uppermost and foremost consideration. How best to secure the good of all without injury to any should be the aim- not commercial supremacy, not cheap production regardless of the human misery following, but rather the broadest justice, the widest extension of human happiness, and the attainment of the highest intellectual and moral standard of civilised nations should be our aim....Let each remember that man had failed before because each carelessly left to some other the work of the Common Good. We must reverse that. Each must take his or her share. With unity above all as our watchword, the Common Good our aim, we will soon find common ground of agreement as to the way in which the goal should be reached. The best start we can give to our children is the certainty of better conditions; the sweetest memory of us to them the fact that we did so.</small>
| title =Spence, William Guthrie (1846–1926)
| publisher = ]
| url =http://www.atua.org.au/biogs/ALE1186b.htm
| access-date = 16 February 2010 }}</ref> In 1886, he became the first president of the ]; he also became president of its successor, the ] in 1887, and by 1890 most shearers in ], Victoria and ] had joined the union and 85% of the shearing sheds were open to union members only.<ref name=adb/>


Around 1890, Spence became a strong proponent of ]. The Georgist 'Single Tax' proposal was at the time incredibly popular amongst ] and the movement was highly influential in the political labour movement, the ] being created through the joint efforts of Single Taxers, socialists and trade unionists.<ref name=brucescates>{{cite journal
| first=Bruce
| last=Scates
| title ='Millenium or Pandemonium?': Radicalism in the Labour Movement, Sydney, 1889-1899
| publisher =]
| journal=]
| issue=50
| year=1986
| url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/27508784
| pages=72–94 | doi=10.2307/27508784
| jstor=27508784
}}</ref>


Since the Australian economy was expanding rapidly at this time and there was an acute shortage of labour, the unions were in a strong bargaining position and were able to secure great improvements in the living standards of Australia's rural working class. But the Depression which began in ] led to acute class conflict as the mine owners and graziers tried to cut wages to remain solvent in the face of falling commodity prices, and the unions resisted. In ] Spence led the amalgamation of the miners, shearers and other rural workers into the ] (AWU), Australia's largest and most powerful union. There were bitter strikes in the maritime and pastoral industries, in which Spence played a leading role, although he was generally a force for moderation in the labour movement. Since the Australian economy was expanding rapidly at this time and there was an acute shortage of labour, the unions were in a strong bargaining position and were able to secure great improvements in the living standards of Australia's rural working class. But a depression which began in 1891 led to acute class conflict as the mine owners and graziers tried to cut wages to remain solvent in the face of falling commodity prices, which the unions resisted. In 1894, Spence led the amalgamation of the miners, shearers and other rural workers into the ] (AWU), Australia's largest and most powerful union. There were bitter strikes in the maritime and pastoral industries, in which Spence played a leading role, although he was generally a force for moderation in the labour movement. He was the AWU's secretary from 1894 to 1898 and president from 1898 to 1917.<ref name=adb/>


==Political career==
The defeat of the strikes of ]-] led Spence and other labour leaders to move into politics. Spence supported the formation of the Progressive Political League, an early labour party, in Victoria in ], and in the same year supported the first election campaign by the Labour Party in ], which won a number of seats in the ]. In ] Spence entered politics himself, becoming MP for ] in western New South Wales, and became a key member of ]'s "torpedo brigade", which organised the Labor caucus in Parliament to vote for O'Malley's ]. He remained president of the AWU, making him one of the most powerful men in New South Wales politics. He described hismelf as "an evolutionary, not a revolutionary, ]."
], including ], ], ], ], and ]. Spence is seated in a chair at far left.]]


The defeat of the strikes of 1891–1894 led Spence and other labour leaders to move into politics. Spence supported the formation of the Progressive Political League, an early labour party, in Victoria in 1891 and he was narrowly beaten at a by-election in 1892 for the seat of Dundas in the ]. In 1891, he supported the first election campaign by the Labour Party in ], which won a number of seats in the ]. In 1898, Spence he became MP for ] in western New South Wales.<ref name=nsw>{{cite NSW Parliament |title =Mr William Guthrie Spence (1846–1926) |id=882 |former=Yes |access-date=13 May 2019}}</ref> He remained president of the AWU, making him one of the most powerful men in New South Wales politics. He described himself as "an evolutionary, not a revolutionary, socialist."
Unlike many in the labour movement, Spence supported the ] of the Australian colonies, and in ] he was elected to the first ] as MP for Darling. Like most of the older generation of labour leaders who were born in the ], Spence was associated with the more conservative wing of the ], led by ]. He was not really suited to parliamentary life and did not hold office in the ] or ] Labor governments. When Hughes became Prime Minister in ], however, Spence became Postmaster-General in his government.


Unlike many in the labour movement, Spence supported the ] of the Australian colonies, and in 1901 he was elected to the first ] as MP for the NSW ]. Like most of the older generation of labour leaders who were born in the United Kingdom, Spence was associated with the more conservative wing of the Australian Labor Party, led by ]. He was not really suited to parliamentary life and did not hold office until he was appointed ] in the ] from September 1914 to October 1915. He was also appointed to the undemanding position of ] in the ] from November 1916 to February 1917.
In ] Hughes decided to introduce ] to maintain Australia's contribution to the Allied forces in ]. Most of the Labor Party bitterly opposed this, but Spence sided with Hughes. As a result he was expelled from the party along with Hughes and the other conscriptionist MPs. He was also deposed as president of the AWU and shortly after was expelled from the union. At the ] federal election, although Hughes was easily returned to power, Spence lost his seat, mainly because the AWU organised the rural workers to oppose him. Shortly after he was returned to Parliament at a by-election for the ] seat of Darwin, but he retired in ]. He took up farming and died at ], Victoria, in ].

In 1916, Hughes decided to introduce ] to maintain Australia's contribution to the Allied forces in World War I. Most of the Labor Party bitterly opposed this, but Spence sided with Hughes. As a result, he was expelled from the party along with Hughes and the other conscriptionist MPs. He was also deposed as president of the AWU and shortly after was expelled from the union. At the 1917 federal election, although Hughes was easily returned to power, Spence lost his seat, mainly because the AWU organised the rural workers to oppose him. Shortly after he was returned to Parliament at a by-election for the ]n seat of ]. He was one of only a small number of people who have represented ]. In 1919, he ran for the Melbourne seat of ], but was defeated.

==Personal life==
In 1871, Spence married Ann Jane Savage, with whom he had five sons and four daughters; he was predeceased by two of his sons.<ref name=adb/> His daughter Gwynetha married labour journalist ], with whom he later served alongside in federal parliament.<ref>{{cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |id2=lamond-hector-7019 | title=Lamond, Hector (1865–1947) | accessdate=14 December 2019 | author=Lansbury, Coral |authorlink=Coral Lansbury}}</ref>

Spence died of ] at his son's home in ], on 13 December 1926, aged 80. He was interred at ].<ref name=adb/>

==Honours==
In 1972, the ] suburb of ] was named after him.<ref>{{cite web
| title =Suburb name search results
| publisher =]
| url =http://apps.actpla.act.gov.au/actlic/places/search/suburbResults_new3.asp?suburbName=SPENCE&Submit=Continue
| access-date = 14 May 2007}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> In October 2003 the Australian Workers' Union named its Melbourne headquarters in Spence's honour.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite journal|title=A man of civic sentiment: the case of William Guthrie Spence|last=Bellanta|first=Melissa|year=2008|pages=63–76|journal=Journal of Australian Studies|volume=32|issue=1|doi=10.1080/14443050801993826|s2cid=145577702 }}
*{{cite journal|title=William Guthrie Spence|last=Lansbury|first=Coral|year=1967|number=13|pages=3–10|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/27507871|journal=Labour History|doi=10.2307/27507871|jstor=27507871 }}


Spence was typical of the founding generation of the Australian labour movement, in that he was born in Britain rather than Australia, was self-educated, was active in the ] movement and was an active Protestant Christian - he was a ] lay preacher. Like most of his generation, he was loyal to the ] and thus supported conscription, while the younger, Australian-born and more secular (or Irish-Catholic) wing of the labour movement opposed it. Unlike Hughes, he soon regretted his break with the Labor Party and never recovered from his rejection by the union he helped found.
==External links== ==External links==
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Latest revision as of 16:26, 27 December 2024

Australian politician For other people named William Spence, see William Spence (disambiguation).

The HonourableWilliam Spence
Spence in 1908
Postmaster-General of Australia
In office
17 September 1914 – 27 October 1915
Prime MinisterAndrew Fisher
Preceded byAgar Wynne
Succeeded byWilliam Webster
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Darwin
In office
30 June 1917 – 13 December 1919
Preceded byCharles Howroyd
Succeeded byGeorge Bell
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Darling
In office
29 March 1901 – 5 May 1917
Preceded byNew seat
Succeeded byArthur Blakeley
Personal details
Born(1846-08-07)7 August 1846
Eday, Scotland
Died13 December 1926(1926-12-13) (aged 80)
Terang, Victoria
NationalityScottish Australian
Political partyLabor (1901–17)
Nationalist (1917–19)
Spouse Ann Jane Savage ​(m. 1871)​
OccupationUnionist

William Guthrie Spence (7 August 1846 – 13 December 1926), was an Australian trade union leader and politician, played a leading role in the formation of both Australia's largest union, the Australian Workers' Union, and the Australian Labor Party.

Early life

Spence was born on the island of Eday in the Orkney Islands, Scotland and migrated to Australia with his family as age six. He had no formal education and worked as a farm labourer in the Wimmera district of Victoria from the age of 13. Later he acquired a gold-mining licence and worked for various mining companies. In 1871, he married Ann Jane Savage.

In 1874, Spence was one of a number of militant mine-workers who formed the Amalgamated Miners' Association of Victoria, and he became the union's general secretary in 1882. He led the union into mergers with similar unions in the other Australian colonies, forming the Amalgamated Miners' Association of Australasia. In 1886, he became the first president of the Australian Shearers' Union; he also became president of its successor, the Amalgamated Shearers' Union of Australasia in 1887, and by 1890 most shearers in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales had joined the union and 85% of the shearing sheds were open to union members only.

Around 1890, Spence became a strong proponent of Georgism. The Georgist 'Single Tax' proposal was at the time incredibly popular amongst Radical Liberals and the movement was highly influential in the political labour movement, the Australian Labor Party being created through the joint efforts of Single Taxers, socialists and trade unionists.

Since the Australian economy was expanding rapidly at this time and there was an acute shortage of labour, the unions were in a strong bargaining position and were able to secure great improvements in the living standards of Australia's rural working class. But a depression which began in 1891 led to acute class conflict as the mine owners and graziers tried to cut wages to remain solvent in the face of falling commodity prices, which the unions resisted. In 1894, Spence led the amalgamation of the miners, shearers and other rural workers into the Australian Workers' Union (AWU), Australia's largest and most powerful union. There were bitter strikes in the maritime and pastoral industries, in which Spence played a leading role, although he was generally a force for moderation in the labour movement. He was the AWU's secretary from 1894 to 1898 and president from 1898 to 1917.

Political career

Group photograph of all Federal Labour Party MPs elected at the inaugural 1901 election, including Chris Watson, Andrew Fisher, Billy Hughes, Frank Tudor, and King O'Malley. Spence is seated in a chair at far left.

The defeat of the strikes of 1891–1894 led Spence and other labour leaders to move into politics. Spence supported the formation of the Progressive Political League, an early labour party, in Victoria in 1891 and he was narrowly beaten at a by-election in 1892 for the seat of Dundas in the Victorian Legislative Assembly. In 1891, he supported the first election campaign by the Labour Party in New South Wales, which won a number of seats in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. In 1898, Spence he became MP for Cobar in western New South Wales. He remained president of the AWU, making him one of the most powerful men in New South Wales politics. He described himself as "an evolutionary, not a revolutionary, socialist."

Unlike many in the labour movement, Spence supported the federation of the Australian colonies, and in 1901 he was elected to the first Australian House of Representatives as MP for the NSW Division of Darling. Like most of the older generation of labour leaders who were born in the United Kingdom, Spence was associated with the more conservative wing of the Australian Labor Party, led by Billy Hughes. He was not really suited to parliamentary life and did not hold office until he was appointed Postmaster-General in the third Fisher Ministry from September 1914 to October 1915. He was also appointed to the undemanding position of Vice-President of the Executive Council in the second Hughes Ministry from November 1916 to February 1917.

In 1916, Hughes decided to introduce conscription to maintain Australia's contribution to the Allied forces in World War I. Most of the Labor Party bitterly opposed this, but Spence sided with Hughes. As a result, he was expelled from the party along with Hughes and the other conscriptionist MPs. He was also deposed as president of the AWU and shortly after was expelled from the union. At the 1917 federal election, although Hughes was easily returned to power, Spence lost his seat, mainly because the AWU organised the rural workers to oppose him. Shortly after he was returned to Parliament at a by-election for the Tasmanian seat of Darwin. He was one of only a small number of people who have represented more than one state or territory in the Parliament. In 1919, he ran for the Melbourne seat of Batman, but was defeated.

Personal life

In 1871, Spence married Ann Jane Savage, with whom he had five sons and four daughters; he was predeceased by two of his sons. His daughter Gwynetha married labour journalist Hector Lamond, with whom he later served alongside in federal parliament.

Spence died of pulmonary oedema at his son's home in Terang, Victoria, on 13 December 1926, aged 80. He was interred at Coburg Cemetery.

Honours

In 1972, the Canberra suburb of Spence was named after him. In October 2003 the Australian Workers' Union named its Melbourne headquarters in Spence's honour.

References

  1. ^ Lansbury, Coral; Bede Nairn. "Spence, William Guthrie (1846–1926)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 10 May 2007.
  2. "Spence, William Guthrie (1846–1926)". Australian Trade Union Archives. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
  3. Scates, Bruce (1986). "'Millenium or Pandemonium?': Radicalism in the Labour Movement, Sydney, 1889-1899". Labour History (50). Liverpool University Press: 72–94. doi:10.2307/27508784. JSTOR 27508784.
  4. As noted further on in the article the spelling of "Labor" in "Australian Labor Party" was not adopted by the party until 1912.
  5. "Mr William Guthrie Spence (1846–1926)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  6. Lansbury, Coral. "Lamond, Hector (1865–1947)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  7. "Suburb name search results". Australian Capital Territory Planning and Land Authority. Retrieved 14 May 2007.

Further reading

External links

Political offices
Preceded byAgar Wynne Postmaster-General
1914–1915 		Succeeded byWilliam Webster
Preceded byAlbert Gardiner Vice-President of the Executive Council
1916–1917 		Succeeded byEdward Millen
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded byThomas Waddell Member for Cobar
1898–1901 		Succeeded byDonald Macdonell
Parliament of Australia
New division Member for Darling
1901–1917 		Succeeded byArthur Blakeley
Preceded byCharles Howroyd Member for Darwin
1917–1919 		Succeeded byGeorge Bell
Trade union offices
Preceded byDavid Temple General Secretary of the Australian Workers' Union
1894–1900 		Succeeded byDonald Macdonell
Secretaries of the Australian Workers' Union
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