Alexander McAllister Clydesdale

Alexander McAllister Clydesdale (16 July 187524 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. At the time of his election, he was believed to be the youngest mayor in the state. 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.

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. 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). Clydesdale had married twice, to May Smith in 1902, with whom he had three children, and to Lilian Knights in 1942.