Idris Williams (trade unionist)
Idris Williams | |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 June 1895 Mountain Ash, Glamorgan, Wales |
| Died | 9 October 1960 Sydney, Australia |
| Cause of death | cerebrovascular disease |
| Known for | Trade union leader |
| Political party | Communist Party of Australia |
| Relatives | Tori Freestone |
Idris Williams (1895–1960) was an Australian politician, political prisoner, trade unionist leader and a member of the Communist Party of Australia. He was notable for being the first ever communist to serve on the Wonthaggi Borough Council, and for his high-profile role in numerous strikes and labour disputes across Australia.
Williams was depicted in the movie Strikebound (1984) by actor Hugh Keays-Byrne.
Early life
Idris Williams was born on the 21st of June 1895 at Mountain Ash, Wales, Glamorgan, Wales. He began working in a coal mine at the age of 13 and joined the Powell Duffryn miners' lodge. [1]
World War 1
He fought in the World War I and lost his leg at the Battle of the Somme. He then left the UK in 1920 to live in Australia. [1]
Life in Australia
Soonafter arriving in Australia he was living in Wonthaggi, Victoria. According to the Australian Dictionary of Biography:
"He became deeply involved in the cultural and sporting life of the town as a leading choral singer, conductor of the brass band, chairman of the miners' union theatre and secretary of the East Wonthaggi football club."[1]
Williams played a significant role in a 5 month long coals strike in 1934, afterwhich he became president of the Wonthaggi District Trades and Labor Council. He was also a prominent member of the communist affiliated organisation, the Minority Movement, and served as the vice-president of the Victorian district of the Miners' Federation. Described as a famous and popular figure in Wonthaggi, his activism led and labour strike tactics led to the town being dubbed "Red Wonthaggi".[1]
In 1944 Williams became the first ever communist to be elected to serve on the Wonthaggi Borough Council. He was later imprisoned during a coal miners strike in 1949 for refusing to reveal the location of £15,000 of funds belonging to the union of the strikers. During the final years of his life, Williams was active in the retired mineworkers' association, before dying of cerebrovascular disease on the 9th of October 1960.[1]
Legacy
Idris Williams was depicted in the movie Strikebound (1984) by actor Hugh Keays-Byrne.[2] The movie was based on the novel Dead Men Don't Dig Coal by Wendy Lowenstein.
Idris Williams is the maternal great-uncle of musician Tori Freestone.[3]
Footnotes
- ^ a b c d e Deery, Phillip, "Idris Williams (1895–1960)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 2024-07-07
- ^ "Curator's notes Strikebound (1983) on ASO - Australia's audio and visual heritage online". aso.gov.au. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
- ^ Searle, Chris (14 February 2024). "'I think of the saxophone in a very vocal way'". Morning Star. Retrieved 2024-07-07.