Whitely King

John Whiteley King (22 February 1857 – 21 December 1905), commonly known as Whitely King, was General Secretary of the Pastoralists' Union of New South Wales and its successor, the Graziers' Association of New South Wales, from its inception in 1890 to 1901. He was responsible, among other duties, for enforcing pay and conditions for shearers, on behalf of the owners, and supported the owners against the unionists during several strikes by recruiting non-union "scab" labour.

History King was born in Auckland, New Zealand, the elder son of Belgrave Theodore King and Sarah Hannah King née Whiteley. In 1858 his father deserted his family, (Belgrave Theodore King changed his name to Byron Thomas Kemble, and found employment in Tenterfield, New South Wales, as an auctioneer.) He was appointed magistrate and coroner. he co-founded (with A. W. Pearse and others) the Australasian Pastoralists' Review, edited by R. E. N. Twopeny.

Last Days He was forced to retire after a serious illness, reportedly syphilis,

He died at Gladesville Hospital, Sydney, and his remains were buried in Gore Hill Cemetery, North Sydney.

Personal King married Esther Barham at Wellington, New Zealand on 26 May 1885. They had one daughter and three sons.

He died at Gladesville Hospital, Sydney. His remains were buried in Gore Hill Cemetery, North Sydney.

In Australian folklore As part of his union-busting tactics, King enjoined large numbers of unemployed men with no bush experience to head for the shearing sheds. The makeshift billycans affected by some of these travellers, fashioned from a jam tin and a length of wire for a handle, were dubbed "Whitely Kings", also used as an adjective.

He is mentioned in the folk song "The Shearer and the Rouseabout" by Joe Watson and the poem "Saint Peter" by Henry Lawson (later adapted into a folk song by Peter Duggan).