Gilbert Casey
Encyclopedia
Gilbert Stephen Casey was a trade unionist, agitator of the early Australian labour movement
and a utopian socialist
.
, Australia, in October 1883 and worked as a seaman, bushworker, coalminer and wharflabourer.
On 14 October 1883 Casey married his first wife, Alice Tighe (nee Shile), who had already been married twice before. She left him in 1895 in New Australia
and he then married Maria Antonia Sosa, a Paraguayan woman.
With Maria and their two sons, Casey raised cattle at La Novia, "dabbled in sidelines" at Asuncion
, and wrote occasional letters and articles for the Australian Labor press. Casey was for many years the chief of police at New Australia.
, Bundaberg, Rockhampton
, Mackay
and Townsville; there he helped to found the Townsville Trades and Labor Council (T.L.C.).
As a member of the Brisbane T.L.C., Casey became a trustee for the Trades Hall reserve, worked for the June 1889 reconstitution of the council into the Australian Labour Federation (A.L.F), and became a member of its central district council.
In December 1889, along with Thomas Glassey and Albert Hinchcliffe, Casey successfully went to and brought the bush unions into the A.L.F. Casey was appointed full time in April 1890 and in his first frenetic three months organized new unions and established district councils at Maryborough, Rockhampton, Charters Towers
and Townsville. In February Casey was appointed chairman of the board of trustees of the Worker.
Embroiled in the 1890 maritime strike
, and 1891 shearers' strike
, Casey preferred a general strike
over Australia when more pragmatic union leaders wanted to negotiate a return to work, lest the defeats are turned into a rout. His extremism attracted attacks by anti-labor forces.
In the newspaper the Judge, he was accused of incest
and, in subsequent libel action, he was awarded contemptuous damages which did not cover costs. In Barcaldine
, he was accused during the shearers' strike in 1891 of arson and jailed for two weeks before he was discharged without the charge being heard.
Casey was a self-proclaimed evangelist for the 'new unionism', believing it would radically transform existing society, which he saw as dominated by "those who rob legally, those who rob illegally and those who it pays to maintain the law". After the failed shearers' strike in 1891, he found it hard to accept the A.L.F's support for the founding of the Australian Labor Party
because he felt it would be easy prey for "wirepullers". He became a fervent member of William Lane
's New Australia
Co-operative Settlement Association, which had set itself the goal to establish a utopia at New Australia, South America
. Casey donated his Brisbane home as a prize in a fund-raising raffle and left on 31 December 1893 with his wife with the second group of settlers on the ship Royal Tar Australia on the way to New Australia in Paraguay
.
He remained in the Australian colony of New Australia even after it split, returning to Australia briefly in 1894 to try to obtain further support for the colony. He was elected president of the Sociedad Co-operativa Colonizadora Nueva Australia in 1896, though the colony's income improved rapidly after his defeat in 1900. He was the police chief of New Australia until he died on 2 October 1946.
Australian labour movement
The Australian labour movement has its origins in the early 19th century and includes both trade unions and political activity. At its broadest, the movement can be defined as encompassing the industrial wing, the unions in Australia, and the political wing, the Australian Labor Party and minor...
and a utopian socialist
Utopian socialism
Utopian socialism is a term used to define the first currents of modern socialist thought as exemplified by the work of Saint-Simon, Charles Fourier, and Robert Owen which inspired Karl Marx and other early socialists and were looked on favorably...
.
Personal life
He was the son of Patrick Casey, a storeman, and his wife Susan (nee O'Dea). With little formal education, Casey went to sea and came into contact with trade unionism. He probably immigrated to QueenslandQueensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia, in October 1883 and worked as a seaman, bushworker, coalminer and wharflabourer.
On 14 October 1883 Casey married his first wife, Alice Tighe (nee Shile), who had already been married twice before. She left him in 1895 in New Australia
New Australia
New Australia was a utopian socialist settlement in Paraguay founded by the Australian New Australian Movement. The colony was officially founded on 28 September 1893 as Colonia Nueva Australia and comprised 238 adults and children.-History:...
and he then married Maria Antonia Sosa, a Paraguayan woman.
With Maria and their two sons, Casey raised cattle at La Novia, "dabbled in sidelines" at Asuncion
Asunción
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
, and wrote occasional letters and articles for the Australian Labor press. Casey was for many years the chief of police at New Australia.
Political life
In February 1886, Casey was associated with the Queensland Maritime Council through the Brisbane Wharf Labourers' Union which he helped form the previous year. In 1888 the council sent him on an organizing mission to MaryboroughMaryborough, Queensland
Maryborough is a city located on the Mary River in South East Queensland, Australia, approximately north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city is serviced by the Bruce Highway, and has a population of approximately 22,000 . It is closely tied to its neighbour city Hervey Bay which is...
, Bundaberg, Rockhampton
Rockhampton
Rockhampton can refer to:* Rockhampton, Queensland is a city in Queensland, Australia* Rockhampton City, Queensland, a suburb of Rockhampton, Queensland* Electoral district of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia...
, Mackay
Mackay, Queensland
Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar....
and Townsville; there he helped to found the Townsville Trades and Labor Council (T.L.C.).
As a member of the Brisbane T.L.C., Casey became a trustee for the Trades Hall reserve, worked for the June 1889 reconstitution of the council into the Australian Labour Federation (A.L.F), and became a member of its central district council.
In December 1889, along with Thomas Glassey and Albert Hinchcliffe, Casey successfully went to and brought the bush unions into the A.L.F. Casey was appointed full time in April 1890 and in his first frenetic three months organized new unions and established district councils at Maryborough, Rockhampton, Charters Towers
Charters Towers, Queensland
Charters Towers is a city in northern Queensland, Australia. It is located 137 kilometres inland from Townsville on the Flinders Highway. In 2006 the population was 7,979 people, some 450 fewer than in the 2001 census. During the last quarter of the 19th century the town boomed as the rich gold...
and Townsville. In February Casey was appointed chairman of the board of trustees of the Worker.
Embroiled in the 1890 maritime strike
1890 Australian maritime dispute
The 1890 Australian Maritime Dispute, commonly known as the 1890 Maritime Strike, was on a scale unprecedented in the Australian colonies to that point in time, causing political and social turmoil across all Australian colonies and in New Zealand, including the collapse of colonial governments in...
, and 1891 shearers' strike
1891 Australian shearers' strike
350px|thumb|Shearers' strike camp, Hughenden, central Queensland, 1891.The 1891 shearers' strike is one of Australia's earliest and most important industrial disputes. Working conditions for sheep shearers in 19th century Australia weren't good. In 1891 wool was one of Australia's largest industries...
, Casey preferred a general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
over Australia when more pragmatic union leaders wanted to negotiate a return to work, lest the defeats are turned into a rout. His extremism attracted attacks by anti-labor forces.
In the newspaper the Judge, he was accused of incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
and, in subsequent libel action, he was awarded contemptuous damages which did not cover costs. In Barcaldine
Barcaldine, Queensland
Barcaldine is a small town in Western Queensland, Australia, approximately by road west of the city of Rockhampton. The town is situated on Lagoon Creek, which flows into the Alice River approximately five kilometres south of the Barcaldine. This is the administrative centre of the Barcaldine...
, he was accused during the shearers' strike in 1891 of arson and jailed for two weeks before he was discharged without the charge being heard.
Casey was a self-proclaimed evangelist for the 'new unionism', believing it would radically transform existing society, which he saw as dominated by "those who rob legally, those who rob illegally and those who it pays to maintain the law". After the failed shearers' strike in 1891, he found it hard to accept the A.L.F's support for the founding of the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
because he felt it would be easy prey for "wirepullers". He became a fervent member of William Lane
William Lane
William Lane was a journalist, advocate of Australian labour politics and a utopian.-Early life:Lane was born in Bristol, England, eldest son of James Lane,from Ireland a Protestant Master Gardener , and his English wife Caroline, née Hall...
's New Australia
New Australia
New Australia was a utopian socialist settlement in Paraguay founded by the Australian New Australian Movement. The colony was officially founded on 28 September 1893 as Colonia Nueva Australia and comprised 238 adults and children.-History:...
Co-operative Settlement Association, which had set itself the goal to establish a utopia at New Australia, South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. Casey donated his Brisbane home as a prize in a fund-raising raffle and left on 31 December 1893 with his wife with the second group of settlers on the ship Royal Tar Australia on the way to New Australia in Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
.
He remained in the Australian colony of New Australia even after it split, returning to Australia briefly in 1894 to try to obtain further support for the colony. He was elected president of the Sociedad Co-operativa Colonizadora Nueva Australia in 1896, though the colony's income improved rapidly after his defeat in 1900. He was the police chief of New Australia until he died on 2 October 1946.