# Henry Chesson

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**Henry Chesson** (15 September 1862 – 12 July 1948) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the [South Australian House of Assembly](/source/South_Australian_House_of_Assembly) from 1905 to 1918, representing [Port Adelaide](/source/Electoral_district_of_Port_Adelaide) until 1915 and [West Torrens](/source/Electoral_district_of_West_Torrens) thereafter.[1] He represented the [United Labor Party](/source/Australian_Labor_Party_(South_Australian_Branch)) until being expelled in the 1917 Labor split, and thereafter represented the splinter [National Party](/source/National_Party_(South_Australia)) until his defeat at the [1918 election](/source/1918_South_Australian_state_election).

Chesson was born in [Adelaide](/source/Adelaide) and was educated at Grote Street Model School and [Pulteney Street School](/source/Pulteney_Grammar_School). He began working in a boot factory at the age of twelve, and left school at fifteen to become a mason and bricklayer. He worked in [Melbourne](/source/Melbourne) from 1885 to 1892 before returning to Adelaide. He was president and financial secretary of the South Australian Masons and Bricklayers' Society, and was their delegate to the [Trades and Labour Council](/source/SA_Unions), of which he was also president and vice-president. Chesson also served on the [Adelaide Trades Hall](/source/Adelaide_Trades_Hall) management committee and Eight Hours Committee, and as president and vice-president of the United Labor Party.[2][3][4]

Chesson was elected to the House of Assembly at the [1905 election](/source/1905_South_Australian_state_election) in the seat of [Port Adelaide](/source/Electoral_district_of_Port_Adelaide), shifting to the new seat of [West Torrens](/source/Electoral_district_of_West_Torrens) following an electoral redistribution in 1915.[2][4] He was chairman of committees from 1915 to 1918.[5] Chesson left the Labor Party for the new [National Party](/source/National_Party_(South_Australia)) in the [1917 Labor split](/source/Australian_Labor_Party_split_of_1916) over conscription.[6] He was defeated by a Labor candidate when he ran for re-election at the [1918 election](/source/1918_South_Australian_state_election).[7]

After leaving politics, he was clerk of works in the department of the Architect-in-Chief.[8]

He died at his home in [Croydon](/source/Croydon,_South_Australia) in July 1948, aged 85.[5] He had celebrated his diamond wedding anniversary that January.[9]

## References

1. Retrieved 23 August 2022.

1. ["Mr. H. Chesson, M.P. (Port Adelaide)."](https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article57376996). *[The Register](/source/The_Register_(Adelaide))*. 5 April 1910. p. 11. Retrieved 1 August 2016. – via Trove.

1. ["Our roll of honor"](https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article111640038). *[Weekly Herald](/source/Weekly_Herald_(Adelaide))*. 2 April 1898. p. 1. Retrieved 1 August 2016. – via Trove.

1. ["The state elections"](https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5451774). *[The Advertiser](/source/The_Advertiser_(Adelaide))*. 13 March 1915. p. 17. Retrieved 1 August 2016. – via Trove.

1. ["Death of former Labor M.P."](https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129906557). *[The News](/source/The_News_(Adelaide))*. 13 July 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 1 August 2016. – via Trove.

1. ["The Labor split"](https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5561468). *[The Advertiser](/source/The_Advertiser_(Adelaide))*. 13 February 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 1 August 2016. – via Trove.

1. ["South Australian elections"](https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article106094755). *[The Catholic Press](/source/The_Catholic_Press)*. 11 April 1918. p. 27. Retrieved 1 August 2016. – via Trove.

1. ["Before the public"](https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article132047945). *[The News](/source/The_News_(Adelaide))*. 14 January 1926. p. 1. Retrieved 1 August 2016. – via Trove.

1. ["Ex M.P. and wife celebrate diamond wedding"](https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article43751201). *[The Advertiser](/source/The_Advertiser_(Adelaide))*. 6 January 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 1 August 2016. – via Trove.

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