Benjamin Howe (21 March 1892 – 14 February 1950) was an Australian politician. He was a Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1930 until 1932, representing the electorate of North Sydney.
Ben Howe | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Howe in 1932. | |
| Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for North Sydney | |
| In office 25 October 1930 – 8 May 1932 | |
| Preceded by | Ernest Marks |
| Succeeded by | Hubert Primrose |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 March 1892 Darlinghurst, Colony of New South Wales |
| Died | 14 February 1950 (aged 57) North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
Howe was born in Darlinghurst, and undertook an apprenticeship as an engineer at Mort's Dock. He became a fitter and turner in the tramway workshops at Randwick from 1921 until his election to parliament in 1930. He was an active trade unionist, serving as a shop delegate, organiser and representative of the tramway section of the Amalgamated Engineering Union. He also ran a soup kitchen with his wife in North Sydney during the Great Depression.[1]
Howe was the Labor candidate for North Sydney at the 1927 state election, losing to Ernest Marks,[2] and for the corresponding federal seat at the 1928 federal election, losing to former Prime Minister Billy Hughes.[3] He was elected on his third attempt when he defeated Marks at the 1930 state election as part of Labor's landslide victory that year. His political career was to be short-lived, however; he was easily defeated amidst the Labor defeat of 1932 by North Sydney mayor and United Australia Party candidate Hubert Primrose.[2] He again contested North Sydney against Primrose in 1935, but was easily defeated.[2]
Howe returned to his prior role at the tramway workshops after his defeat, and worked there from 1938 until his death in 1950.[1] A long term resident of Cammeray, Howe died at age 57 at the Mater Hospital, North Sydney. He was cremated at Northern Suburbs Crematorium.[4][5]
References
edit- ^ a b "Mr Benjamin Howe". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ^ a b c Green, Antony. "Elections for North Sydney". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- ^ "1928 Federal Election: House of Representatives: New South Wales". Psephos. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Family Notices". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 16 February 1950. p. 20. Retrieved 5 November 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Death of former North Sydney MLA". The Sun. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 15 February 1950. p. 9. Retrieved 5 November 2023 – via National Library of Australia.