James Gilvray Galloway
James Gilvray Galloway | |
|---|---|
| Born | 28 February 1828 Springfield, Fife, Scotland |
| Died | 3 June 1860 (aged 32) Collingwood, Victoria, Australia |
| Burial place | Melbourne General Cemetery |
| Occupation(s) | Stonemason, Chartist, trade unionist |
| Known for | Involvement in eight-hour day movement |
James Gilvray Galloway (28 February 1828 – 3 June 1860) was a Scots-born stonemason and trade unionist who was a leading figure in the successful and influential eight hour day movement in Melbourne, Australia.
Biography
[edit]He was born in Springfield, Fife, Scotland. He worked as a stonemason in London, and became a supporter of the Chartists before emigrating to Melbourne in 1854.[1] There, he joined with James Stephens to revive the local branch of the Operative Masons' Association, an early trade union. On 21 April 1856, they led a march from their construction site at the University of Melbourne to Parliament House, demanding the introduction of an eight-hour working day, for the same pay as previously for ten hours.[2][3] Their employers in Victoria accepted their demands, and the eight hour day became widely accepted in Australia and started to spread around the world.[4]
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While initially both Stephens and Galloway were acknowledged as the instigators of the movement, Stephens fell into disfavour among his union colleagues for advocating subcontracting.[5] Galloway became ill and destitute, and died in Collingwood, Victoria, in 1860, aged 32.[6] He was buried at Melbourne General Cemetery.[7] In 1869 the unions raised funds to provide a monument at Galloway's grave, at which it was said that Galloway had initiated the eight hours movement.[4] Stephens sought to restore his own reputation, and later the roles of Galloway and Stephens were both acknowledged by historians.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ Manning Clark, History of Australia, 1993, p. 273
- ^ I.W.S. "Melbourne's First Labor Day: A Great Celebration", The Age, Melbourne, 6 April 1946, p. 9
- ^ "James Stephens: Eight Hour Day Pioneer", 8hourday.org.au. Retrieved 20 July 2021
- ^ a b "James Galloway", Monument Australia. Retrieved 26 July 2021
- ^ a b Jeff Rich, "The Traditions and Significance of the Eight Hour Day for Building Unionists in Victoria, 1856-90", in The Time of Their Lives: The Eight Hour Day and Working Life, edited by Julie Kimber and Peter Love, Australian Society for the Study of Labour History, Melbourne, 2007, pp.36-38
- ^ "Galloway, James Gilvray", Labour History Melbourne. Retrieved 26 July 2021
- ^ Garrie Hutchinson, In Memoriam: A Guide to the History and Heritage of Victoria's Cemeteries, p. 37