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Palmer, John Stanley (1926–2001)

by Peter Sheldon

This article was published:

This entry is from People Australia

John Stanley Palmer (1926-2001)

Born: 7 August 1926, Windsor N.S.W. Son of Stanley, carpenter-builder and Una Williams, netbraider. Married Helen Ursula Finch, 1957.

  • Educated at Wilberforce Public School; moved with family to Victoria;
  • Improver-carpenter, Kiewa hydro-electric project Victoria; became Minute Secretary at first union meeting at age 15;
  • Joined Communist Party at age of 16; active in party until mid-1950s;
  • Served in RAAF during WWII;
  • Returned to Kiewa to complete improvership; Short spell as carpenter, Warragamba Dam NSW 1946 before returning to Kiewa; Organiser, Country Victoria  Building Workers Industrial Union (BWIU) 1952-53; Carpenter and BWIU rep. Warragamba 1954-64;
  • Very active with F.R. Greentree in interunion solidarity at Warragamba, chairing Combined Unions Committee and instrumental in sale of township houses to their residents; Promoted to overseer, and later Construction Inspector, 1964 and joined Salaried Officers' Division of Water Board Union;
  • Held many positions within Salaried Division, including President, Vice-President of ACSPA, NSW; Alternative member of NSW Crown Employees' Appeals Board and employee representative on Water Board, June 1980.

Sydney Water Board Journal, July 1980; P. Sheldon thesis; Interview with John Palmer 19 Feb. 1993

Original Publication

Additional Resources

Citation details

Peter Sheldon, 'Palmer, John Stanley (1926–2001)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://labouraustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/palmer-john-stanley-31928/text39385, accessed 30 January 2023.

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