John Willcock
| John Willcock | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 15th Premier of Western Australia | |
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In office 20 August 1936 – 31 July 1945 |
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| Preceded by | Philip Collier |
| Succeeded by | Frank Wise |
| Constituency | Geraldton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 August 1879 Frogmore), New South Wales |
| Died | 7 July 1956 (aged 76) Subiaco, Western Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Spouse(s) | Sicily Ann Willcock (née Stone) |
John Collings Willcock (9 August 1879 – 7 June 1956) was the 15th Premier of Western Australia.
John Willcock was born at Frogmoor (now Frogmore), New South Wales on 9 August 1879. The son of miner Joseph Willcock, he was educated at Sydney Boys High School before emigrating to Western Australia in 1897. He was employed on the Fremantle Harbour Works until 1899, then spent two years as an engine driver or cleaner for Western Australian Government Railways. In 1902 he moved to Geraldton, where he worked as a railway fireman until 1912. In 1907 he married Sicily Ann Stone, with whom he would have three sons and three daughters. From 1912 to 1917 he worked as an engine driver.
Willcock became an active and enthusiastic member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), holding various offices in the Geraldton branch of the Engine Drivers' Firemen's and Cleaners' Union, and representing them at Federal conferences. From 1914 to 1917 he was President of the Geraldton District Council of the ALP, and he was a Justice of the Peace from 1915. On 14 April 1917 he contested the Western Australian Legislative Assembly seat of Geraldton in a by-election occasioned by the resignation of Ernest Heitmann, but was defeated by Samuel Elliott. Five months later he won the seat in the general election of 29 September 1917. He was soon made a member of the executive of the Australian Workers' Union, and became secretary of the Parliamentary Labor Party.
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