John Lemmon (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
John Lemmon was an Australian politician. He served the longest ever term as a member of the Victorian Parliament, being an MLA for over fifty years.
Born in Carlton
to wood turner Samuel Lemmon and Matilda Thompson, he attended Rathdowne St Primary School, the Trades Hall School and then Workingmen's College. He was a carpenter for five years and then a cutter, joining the Timber Workers' Union at the age of fifteen. On 25 April 1905 he married Edith Ruddock, with whom he had three children. In 1904 he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly
as the Labor
member for Williamstown
. In December 1913 he was briefly Minister of Public Instruction and Labour, serving again from July to November 1924 and from May 1927 to November 1928. In December 1929 he resumed his old post, serving until March 1932. He was the secretary of the Parliamentary Labor Party from 1913 to 1938. Lemmon held the seat until 1955; his term was the longest of any member of the Victorian Parliament. He died later in 1955 at Hawthorn
.
His son, Nelson Lemmon
, later became a federal minister.
Born in Carlton
Carlton, Victoria
Carlton is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne...
to wood turner Samuel Lemmon and Matilda Thompson, he attended Rathdowne St Primary School, the Trades Hall School and then Workingmen's College. He was a carpenter for five years and then a cutter, joining the Timber Workers' Union at the age of fifteen. On 25 April 1905 he married Edith Ruddock, with whom he had three children. In 1904 he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
as the Labor
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...
member for Williamstown
Electoral district of Williamstown
Williamstown is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria. It is a 33 km² urban electorate in the inner south-western suburbs of Melbourne, encompassing the suburbs of Brooklyn, Newport, Spotswood, Williamstown and Yarraville...
. In December 1913 he was briefly Minister of Public Instruction and Labour, serving again from July to November 1924 and from May 1927 to November 1928. In December 1929 he resumed his old post, serving until March 1932. He was the secretary of the Parliamentary Labor Party from 1913 to 1938. Lemmon held the seat until 1955; his term was the longest of any member of the Victorian Parliament. He died later in 1955 at Hawthorn
Hawthorn, Victoria
Hawthorn is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara...
.
His son, Nelson Lemmon
Nelson Lemmon
Nelson Lemmon was an Australian politician and government minister. He was responsible for establishing the Snowy Mountains Scheme....
, later became a federal minister.