Alec Clydesdale

The Honourable Alec Clydesdale MBE
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia
In office 12 March 1921 – 12 April 1930
Preceded by	Robert Robinson
Succeeded by	Herbert Wells
Constituency	Canning
Member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia
In office 22 May 1932 – 21 May 1938
Preceded by	Sir William Lathlain
Succeeded by	James Dimmitt
Constituency	Metropolitan-Suburban Province
Personal details
Born	16 July 1875 Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Died	24 January 1947 (aged 71) Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Political party	Labor

Alexander McAllister "Alec" Clydesdale MBE (16 July 1875 – 24 January 1947) was an Australian politician who served in both houses of the Parliament of Western Australia, as a member of the Legislative Assembly from 1921 to 1930 and as a member of the Legislative Council from 1932 to 1938.

Clydesdale was born in Ballarat, Victoria, to Kate (née Glenn) and James Robert Clydesdale. He was articled to an architect for a period and then trained as a plumber. In 1894, during the gold rush, Clydesdale left for Western Australia, living first in Cue and later in Mount Magnet. He was elected to the Mount Magnet Municipal Council in 1899, aged only 24, and was later elected mayor.^[1] At the time of his election, he was believed to be the youngest mayor in the state.^[2] At the 1901 state election, Clydesdale contested the seat of Mount Magnet as a Ministerialist (a supporter of the government of George Throssell), but was defeated by Frank Wallace.^[3]

In 1903, Clydesdale moved to Perth. He became involved with horse racing, serving as secretary of two racing clubs, and eventually came to own racecourses in Belmont, Bicton, and Kensington. Clydesdale was elected mayor of the South Perth Municipality in 1913, and would serve until 1921.^[1] In 1920, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), for services to the war effort.^[4] At the 1921 state election, Clydesdale contested the seat of Canning for the Labor Party, defeating Robert Robinson of the Nationalist Party (a former attorney-general).^[3]

Clydesdale was re-elected at the 1924 and 1927 state elections, but was defeated by Nationalist candidate Herbert Wells at the 1930 election.^[3] He re-entered parliament at the 1932 Legislative Council elections, defeating Sir William Lathlain in Metropolitan-Suburban Province. In 1933, Clydesdale was appointed chairman of the State Lotteries Commission, but he had to resign the position the following year over a perceived conflict of interest. Clydesdale was defeated by James Dimmitt at the 1938 elections, and was subsequently re-appointed to the Lotteries Commission.^[1] He died in Perth in January 1947, aged 71.^[5] Clydesdale had married twice, to May Smith in 1902, with whom he had three children, and to Lilian Knights in 1942.^[1]

References

1. Alexander McAllister Clydesdale – Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
2. "MAYOR OF MOUNT MAGNET.", The Western Mail, 31 August 1901.
3. Black, David; Prescott, Valerie (1997). Election statistics : Legislative Assembly of Western Australia, 1890-1996. Perth, [W.A.]: Western Australian Parliamentary History Project and Western Australian Electoral Commission. ISBN 0730984095.
4. CLYDESDALE, Alexander McAlister – It's An Honour. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
5. "Mr. A. Clydesdale Dies, Aged 71", The Daily News, 25 January 1947.