Matthew Charlton

Matthew Charlton
Leader of the Opposition
In office
25 January 1922 – 29 March 1928
Prime MinisterBilly Hughes
Stanley Bruce
DeputyAlbert Gardiner
James Scullin
Preceded byFrank Tudor
Succeeded byJames Scullin
Leader of the Labor Party
In office
16 May 1922 – 29 March 1928
Acting leader: 5 January – 16 May 1922
DeputyAlbert Gardiner
James Scullin
Preceded byFrank Tudor
Succeeded byJames Scullin
Assistant Leader of the Labor Party
In office
30 September 1921 – 16 May 1922
LeaderFrank Tudor
Preceded byT. J. Ryan
Succeeded byFrank Anstey
Electorate
Member of the Australian Parliament for Hunter
In office
13 April 1910 – 9 October 1928
Preceded byFrank Liddell
Succeeded byRowley James
State Parliament
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Northumberland
In office
6 August 1904 – 28 February 1910
Preceded byJohn Norton
Succeeded byWilliam Kearsley
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Waratah
In office
5 December 1903 – 6 August 1904
Preceded byArthur Hill Griffith
Succeeded byJohn Estell
Personal details
Born
Matthew Charlton

(1866-03-15)15 March 1866
Linton, Colony of Victoria
Died8 December 1948(1948-12-08) (aged 82)
Lambton, New South Wales, Australia
Resting placeSandgate Cemetery, Sandgate
Political partyLabor
Spouse
Martha Rollings
(m. 1889)
EducationLambton Public School
Occupation
  • Trade unionist
  • Politician

Matthew Charlton (15 March 1866 – 8 December 1948)[1] was an Australian politician who served as leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and Leader of the Opposition from 1922 to 1928. He led the party to defeat at the 1922 and 1925 federal elections.

Charlton was born in Linton, Victoria, but as a child moved to Lambton, New South Wales. He left school at a young age to work in the coal mines, initially as a hurrier. Charlton became prominent in the trade union movement, and in 1903 was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the Labor Party. He switched to federal parliament in 1910. Charlton was an anti-conscriptionist, and remained with Labor after the party split of 1916. He was elected party leader in early 1922, following the death of Frank Tudor. He increased Labor's vote at the 1922 election but suffered a backwards slide in 1925. He resigned as leader in early 1928, succeeded by James Scullin, and left politics later that year.

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