John Thomas Sweeney (1863 - 1947)

John had to take on a mans job - the neccessity to work the farm and tend the other children, while his mother acted as the local midwife, continually interupted his schooling. While ploughing, he minded the baby, moving her basket as he finished each furrow.

Leaving school at eleven years of age and despite hard toil and responsibility, he continued to study whenever possible and was determined to further his education.

In 1882 the family left the farm at Campbelltown and moved to Austinner, where John began work at North Bulli Collirey.

Conditions under which the North Bulli, miners worked, at that time was appaling - the ceilings were so low that, as they crawled and toiled, jagged rocks tore skin from their shoulders and backs. John was one of those who carried the scars for the rest of his life.

The miners were sometimes forced to remain underground for twenty four hour durations. The experience possibly influenced John's determination to spend a lifetime dedicated to the improvement of working conditions, especially in the coal mines. He was recognised for his efforts to bring about Arbitration and helped in rescue operations after the old Bulli (1887) and Mt Kembla (1902) mines explosions.

John married his first cousin Virginia Mary Grace Standen, of their nine children two boys died in infancy. John and Virginia lived for a time in both Bulli and Woonoma, before building a home at Russell Vale in 1907.

John worked at Mt Kembla and Corrimal Collieries and in 1915 whilst employed as a check weigh man at South Bulli Mine, he was elected District Secretary of the South Coast Miners Federation. The family moved to Sutton Street, Wollongong to live in the house supplied by the miners federation.

His honesty, generosity and dedication to his position earned him the respect in all sections of the community. A fluent and forthright speaker, he was tolerant and fair in his judgements, though always the workers advocate. His common sense and balanced opinions often aversed over militant action..

Generally dubbed 'Honest John', he was 'Good Old Jack' to the majority. To miners celebrating a little to freely on Saturday night - a spell in the Wollongong 'lock up' posed little worry - a call to 'Old Jack' ensured they were bailed out.

The family home was always open to friends and relatives in fact to anyone in need of help or shelter - Jack and Virginia could always find room for 'one more'.

In 1931 John resigned from his position with the Miners Federation. They moved back to Russell Vale intending to retire from public life. John spent his time growing flowers and vegetables, he particuly liked his flowers to bloom and be undisturbed in the garden, with John cutting flowers went against the grain.

When John's good friend, Andrew Lysaght, MLA for Bulli Electorate, died in 1933, John with the support of J T Long, won the seat in a hotly contested by-election. At the time, NSW was still feeling the effects of the depression and now, living in Park Road, Bulli, John was well known for handing out cash from his office, while Virginia fed needy people in her Kitchen. for the next fourteen years John served his constituants as conscientiously and as genourously as he had the mining community.

In October 1943, during a parlimentary debate regarding an extended strike in a South Coast Mine, John then eighty years old, spoke for ninety minutes without notes.

Still the miners champion, he defended their stand putting the case clearly and reasonably. After being given an unusually respectful and prolonged hearing, on conclusion, he recieved applause from both sides of the house. His speech was favourably reported in the next issue of the Sydney Mirror.

In early 1947, his hearing having deteriorated, he did not seek re-election, he felt if he could not fully hear the house debates, then he could not serve his people as he wanted. John died in September of that year - all members of the Cabinet attended his funeral in Bulli Cemetery.

At the grave side, speaking quitley to Monseigneur Downe, the officiating Priest, Premier J J McGirr paid this tribute - "Here lies one of the most loved and respected gentlemen ever to take a seat in the NSW Parliment".