Labour Australia

Jack Cadden, 1940

Maritime Worker (Melbourne), 13 April 1940, p 7

Mr. John W. Cadden passed away at his home, Lyell street, South Melbourne, on Thursday afternoon in his 69th year. Mr. Cadden will be missed by a large circle of admirers and personal friends. Mr. Cadden was born at Geelong in 1871, and came to South Melbourne with his parents— the late Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Cadden, senr. as a very small boy, and excepting in connection with his work for the Waterside Workers' Union, has lived in South Melbourne ever since. He received his first education in a 'Dame's School' in Coventry street, conducted by the late Misses Walsh, and finished his school days at Dorcas Street.

For over 40 years Mr. Cadden was connected with the Waterside Workers' Union, of which he was secretary, for 28 years, and was in office at the time of his death. He was mixed up with the famous Maritime Strike in the 90's, and was one of the pioneers who founded the Waterside Workers' Federation. Amongst those associated with him in founding this Federation were the Right Hon. W. M. Hughes, Mr. Joe Morris, Mr. V. Cremer, and Mr. G. S. Walter, who were all Mayors of the City of Port Melbourne, and who have all since passed away. Mr. Cadden held office, in the Federation, and was one of those who helped to improve the conditions of work on the waterside. He was one of those who supported Mr. James Mathews in his first unsuccessful candidature for Melbourne Ports in 1903, and his successful election in 1906, and in his subsequent elections till the late Mr. Mathews retired in favor of Mr. E. J. Holloway, who won the seat for Labor in 1931. From 1919 to 1922, Mr. Cadden sat on the South Melbourne Council for Fawkner Ward, having beaten Cr. John Baragwanath for the seat, but he did not seek reelection at the close of his term. With Cr. A. L. Page, who was a councillor for both Port Melbourne and South Melbourne Councils at the time, he took part in the agitation for the erection of workers' homes by the respective municipalities, and the powers of councils were extended for this purpose, but were never acted upon, as it was regarded — at least in South and Port Melbourne — as impossible to make land resumptions for the purpose of erecting workmen's homes at an economic price.

Mr. Cadden was closely associated with the development of the Labor movement, particularly in South and Port Melbourne, but the demands on his time by the Waterside Union prevented him from aspiring to political honors, or positions in the chief executives at the Trades Hall, for which his long industrial associations had fully qualified him. He was an old member of the Duke of Edinburgh Lodge of the I.O.O.F. He married Emily Fawkner, who passed away in 1924, and the surviving children are Ernest, Jack and Leonard, Mrs J. Alwell, Mrs. J. Wilson and Mrs G. Gowty. The funeral takes place this (Saturday) morning at the Melbourne General (Carlton) Cemetery.