Henry Chesson

Henry Chesson (15 September 1862 – 12 July 1948) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly from 1905 to 1918, representing Port Adelaide until 1915 and West Torrens thereafter.[1] He represented the United Labor Party until being expelled in the 1917 Labor split, and thereafter represented the splinter National Party until his defeat at the 1918 election.

Henry Chesson
Member of the South Australian Parliament
for Port Adelaide
In office
1905–1915
Preceded byThomas Henry Brooker
Succeeded byIvor MacGillivray
John Price
Member of Parliament
for West Torrens
In office
1915–1918
Preceded byDistrict recreated
Succeeded byAlfred Blackwell
John McInnes
Personal details
Political partyLabor Party
National Party

Chesson was born in Adelaide and was educated at Grote Street Model School and Pulteney Street School. He began working in a boot factory at the age of twelve, and left school at fifteen to become a mason and bricklayer. He worked in Melbourne from 1885 to 1892 before returning to Adelaide. He was president and financial secretary of the South Australian Masons and Bricklayers' Society, and was their delegate to the Trades and Labour Council, of which he was also president and vice-president. Chesson also served on the Adelaide Trades Hall management committee and Eight Hours Committee, and as president and vice-president of the United Labor Party.[2][3][4]

Chesson was elected to the House of Assembly at the 1905 election in the seat of Port Adelaide, shifting to the new seat of West Torrens following an electoral redistribution in 1915.[2][4] He was chairman of committees from 1915 to 1918.[5] Chesson left the Labor Party for the new National Party in the 1917 Labor split over conscription.[6] He was defeated by a Labor candidate when he ran for re-election at the 1918 election.[7]

After leaving politics, he was clerk of works in the department of the Architect-in-Chief.[8]

He died at his home in Croydon in July 1948, aged 85.[5] He had celebrated his diamond wedding anniversary that January.[9]

References
  1. "Mr Henry Chesson". Parliament of South Australia. 2011. Archived from the original on 19 May 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  2. "MR. H. CHESSON, M.P. (Port Adelaide)". The Register. LXXV (19, 780). Adelaide. 5 April 1910. p. 11. Retrieved 1 August 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "OUR ROLL OF HONOR". Weekly Herald. IV (182). Adelaide. 2 April 1898. p. 1. Retrieved 1 August 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "THE STATE ELECTIONS". The Advertiser. LVII (17, 600). Adelaide. 13 March 1915. p. 17. Retrieved 1 August 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Death of Former Labor M.P." The News. 51 (7, 781). Adelaide. 13 July 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 1 August 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "THE LABOR SPLIT". The Advertiser. LIX (18, 201). Adelaide. 13 February 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 1 August 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS". The Catholic Press (1163). New South Wales, Australia. 11 April 1918. p. 27. Retrieved 1 August 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "BEFORE THE PUBLIC". The News. VI (772) (HOME ed.). Adelaide. 14 January 1926. p. 1. Retrieved 1 August 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "Ex'M.P. And Wife Celebrate Diamond Wedding". The Advertiser. Adelaide. 6 January 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 1 August 2016 – via National Library of Australia.


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