Obituaries Australia

Mr. W. J. [William Gerald] McCosker, former head of the reading staff and overseer of 'The Worker', whom we mentioned last week in connection with 50 years' service of Mr. Geo. Bruce, linotype operator, died in hospital last Tuesday morning, The late Mr. McCosker, who joined 'The Worker' staff in 1892, was 91 years of age.

He retired from 'The Worker' at 80. He knew the history of most Labor men in Queensland and was with William Lane, the first 'Worker' editor, when this paper was passing through the swaddling clothes stages of publication.

The late Mr. McCosker was born at Kentish Town Road, London, on August 12, 1863, and arrived in Australia with his mother on an immigrant ship the following year at the age of 14 months. He lived practically the whole of his life in Brisbane.

He was the first secretary of the first Workers' Political Movement in Brisbane, which was the forerunner of the A.L.P.

As a young man he took great interest in gymnastics and was a member of the Brisbane Gymnasium when it was in Ann Street, where the Masonic Temple stands. He was for some time on the Amateur Wrestling and Boxing Council and on the University Council.

In 1898, when he was 35, he was stricken for three weeks with pneumonia at the age when the Printing Union considered men died off.

The late Mr. McCosker once stood as Labor candidate for Toowong in the Legislative Assembly elections.

In the Diamond Jubliee number of 'The Worker' was a picture showing the 1892 staff members of the paper. They included S. Burgess, S. Thompson, W. McCosker, W. Lane (editor), D. Cumming, A. G. Yewman, T. J. Donovan (afterwards manager of the Sydney 'Worker'), T. W. Crawford, F. Barnes and F. Leysley.

The late Mr. McCosker was more than 52 years with 'The Worker' when he retired in September, 1944. He was farewelled and presented with a wallet of notes by the staff. He had seen the Labor Movement grow to the great organisation it is to-day and had taken a lifelong interest in its development.

A son (Mr. Gerald McCosker) and three married daughters, several grandchildren, and 17 greatgrandchildren mourn their loss. Mr. V. McCosker, an employee of 'The Worker', is a grandson.

The late Mr. McCosker took a lifelong interest in the M.U.I.O.O.F.. of which he was a past grand master. 'The Worker' was represented at the funeral, which took place at the Mt. Thompson Crematorium on Wednesday, by the manager (Mr. J. W. Comrie) and Messrs. V. Core, G. Bruce, and I. Robertson for the Chanel.