Brookvale Public School
SPACE
John Christian Watson


By Tara

Early Life

* John Christian Watson was born in 1867.
* John attended a school called Oamaru in New Zealand.
* He stopped school at the age of ten to work on the railways for 3 years.
* When he was 13 John started working as an assistant printer for a newspaper.
* In 1986 he lost his job and moved to Sydney.
* John was elected as president of the Sydney Trades and Labor Council.
* Watson got married to Ada Jane Low on the 27th of November 1889.
* Ada passed away.
* In 1925 John got married to Antonia Dowlan, they had 1 child.

  Watson.jpg

Achievements In Parliament

* In 1891 John became Secretary the West Sydney Labor Party.
* When 25 he was President of the Trades & Labour Council and Chairman of the Labor Party.
* In 1894 he was elected a member for Bland in the 1st election for the Commonwealth Parliament.
* President of the Australian Labor Federation.
* 1904 the Governor General asked Watson to form a Government.
* John Christian Watson was also the youngest Labor Prime Minister of Australia ever.
* Even though as Prime Minister  he only lasted 4 months it showed the Australia Labor Party could be governed properly and sensibly.
* Watson retired from Parliament in 1910.

Timeline of his life

1867 - Born
1886 - Lost his job and moved to Sydney.
1889 - Married Ada Jane Low.
1894 - He was elected Council President.
1895 - President of N.S.W. Council of Australia Labor Federation.
1901 - President of the General Council of Labor Federation.
1904 - 1st Labor Prime Minister following moderate policies.
1907 - Won seat of Bland, elected leader of Australian Labor Council.
1921 - His wife died.
1923 - He helped establish two well known Australian Companies; Ampol Petrolium, National Roads & Motorists Association (NRMA).
1925 - He married Antonia Dowlan.
1941 - He died.

 
Bibliography

A Century of Prime Ministers, by Scott Brodie, published by Watts Publishing Australia.
Internet Sites
http://www.peo.gov.au/
http://
www.nma.gov.au/primeministers/24.htm