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William Mahony

1877 – 1962

Australian politician

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About William Mahony

Lived 1877 – 1962 (aged 84–85). William Mahony was an Australian politician, grocer and trade unionist.

William George Mahony (1877 – 28 August 1962) was an Australian politician.

Born in Ireland, Mahony migrated to Australia as a child. He was raised in Balmain, where he received a primary education before becoming a grocer's assistant. He was the first secretary of the Grocers' Assistants' Union, and was involved in its amalgamation into the Shop Assistants' Union.

In the by-election that resulted from the death of Robert Howe in 1915, Mahony was elected unopposed to the Australian House of Representatives as the Labor member for Dalley. He held the seat until 1927, when he resigned and was succeeded by the former Premier of Queensland, Ted Theodore.

A 1928 Royal Commission found that Mahony had been bribed to resign from the Parliament, probably by or for Theodore, but proof was never found. Mahony had emphatically denied the allegations, and claimed that he had won the money gambling on horse-racing. He attempted to make a comeback at the 1928 federal election, but was defeated for Labor preselection to contest a New South Wales seat in the Australian Senate.

In 1929, Mahony was working as a casual assistant in the ambulance room at the Cockatoo Island Dockyard. In the 1940s, Mahony was the industrial organiser for the Australian Red Cross. His wife, Annie, died in 1942; their only son John died at 36 in 1946, and their daughter Amy in 1948. Mahony died in 1962.

His brother, Robert Mahony, was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.

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Important facts

Born
1877, Ireland
Birth century
Positions held
Member of the Australian House of Representatives
Also known as
William George Mahony

People in William Mahony's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped William Mahony's

Frequently asked questions

Who was William Mahony?

Australian politician

When was William Mahony born?

William Mahony was born in 1877 in Ireland.

When did William Mahony die?

William Mahony died on 28 August 1962.

What was William Mahony's occupation?

William Mahony was a politician, grocer and trade unionist.

What nationality was William Mahony?

William Mahony was Australian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: William Mahony

· Wikidata: Q8015050

· DBpedia: William Mahony (politician, born 1877)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Mahony. https://biography.guide/william-mahony/

MLA: "William Mahony." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-mahony/.

Chicago: "William Mahony." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-mahony/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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