David Gledson

David Alexander Gledson (1877 – 14 May 1949) was an accountant and member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.

Biography Gledson was born at Saintfield, County Down, Ireland, to William Gledson, a miner, and his wife Mary (née Magill). His family arrived in Queensland in 1885 and he was educated at Bundamba State School and the Ipswich Technical College. Later in life he attended night classes to qualify as an accountant.

On 24 February 1904 he married Susannah Jane Bird (died 1952) at Bundamba and they had one son and two daughters. Gledson died in May 1949 after suffering a stroke. He was accorded a state funeral which proceeded from the Bundamba Methodist Church to the Ipswich General Cemetery.

Public career After being beaten James Clarke Cribb by 21 votes at the 1908 Queensland state election and 233 votes a year later for the seat of Bundamba, Gledson turned to the seat of Ipswich at the 1915 Queensland state election. His win over the sitting member, James Blair was one of the highlights for the Labor Party as it won Government in its own right for the first time. He held Ipswich until Labor's defeat in 1929, but won the seat back as Labor was returned to power in 1932. This time he remained the member up until his death in 1949.