Talk:Fred Birrell

From Snoutslouts

"Fred Birrell, the town hall porter, a returned soldier who stands about 6 ft. 3 in., was another player much in evidence, and he proved a valuable ruckman for the 'Pats.'"

from The Register Monday 10 July 1922

Frederick Ronald Birrell (1913-85): Elected 1963
Born: 7 December 1913, Adelaide.
Career: Educated state schools. Auto worker. Military Service 1940-
46. South Australian Secretary, Vehicle Builders Union 1959-63, 
Federal President 1961-62. President South Australian Trades and 
Labor Council 1958.
Frederick Ronald Birrell (1913-85): Elected 1963, 1966, 1969, 1972
Birrell retired in 1974.
Died 23 July 1985

from Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive

Service Record

• Name BIRRELL, FREDERICK RONALD
• Service Royal Australian Air Force
• Service Number 26529
• Date of Birth 7 Dec 1913
• Place of Birth ADELAIDE, SA
• Date of Enlistment 21 May 1940
• Locality on Enlistment GLENELG
• Place of Enlistment ADELAIDE
• Next of Kin BIRRELL, PATRICIA
• Date of Discharge 21 May 1946
• Rank Sergeant
• Posting at Discharge AREA FINANCE OFFICE ADELAIDE

House of Representatives speech by Mick Young on death of Fred Birrell

Mr YOUNG (Special Minister of State) —I join the Prime Minister (Mr Hawke) and other speakers in offering condolences to Pat Birrell» and the children, Pamela, Julie and Ron. Freddie «Birrell» was a good friend of ours in South Australia for a long time. He was of classic Labor vintage, together with the other Labor members who came from South Australia in that period: Jim Cavanagh, Jim Toohey, Clem Ridley, Clyde Cameron, Arnold Drury and Reg Bishop. All those people were not only great Labor representatives but they were also great personal friends. All of them participated with Fred «Birrell» to the utmost in the Labor movement.

A quick reading of Fred Birrell's record will show that not only was he a long time servant of the Vehicle Builders Employees Federation of Australia, which was a carry-over of the historic carriage builders organisation of South Australia which laid the basis of manufacturing industry in South Australia, but also he was President of the Trades and Labour Council. He was active on the Labor Party executives in that State. In the community, long before that, Fred would have seen himself as the member for the district. Because of his children's attendance at the schools he was active as secretary of the high school councils and progress associations within his electorate.

I think it is true to say on behalf of those people who served with Fred «Birrell» and those of us who knew him that Parliament did not see the best of him because he did not enjoy the best of health when he came here. He served here for 11 years. He was always renowned in South Australia for giving sound advice. Some people who have made a greater mark in the Parliament than Fred «Birrell» from South Australia would often make their way to his office or home to seek advice as to what they should be doing or what views they should be expressing. He had that sort of influence, not only in the trade union movement. For a long time after the war, he maintained enormous influence in the vehicle builders union, which was a very large union in the South Australian labour movement, and also in the Labor Party and the general labour movement.

As the Prime Minister said, he not only excelled in his performance as a Labor Party representative and trade unionist but he also did almost the impossible: He played in a Glenelg premiership team. Glenelg has not won very many. He then came to represent the best district in Australia-Port Adelaide. Freddie «Birrell was able to perform in many areas of life. He will be remembered for a long time by anybody who had ever met him or been associated with him or who, as I said, made his way to his door to seek his advice. He had a very close, good, healthy family relationship as is evidenced by his participation in community organisations.

Ranga 13:49, 19 May 2013 (UTC)