Bob Heffron
A New Zealand-born socialist who rose from a prison cell for union organizing to become the transformative Premier of New South Wales in the 1960s.
1890–1978 (age 88)·Former Premier of New South Wales·Birthday: September 10·The Lost Generation
Biography
Bob Heffron’s life was a testament to the power of conviction. Born in New Zealand, he cut his teeth in socialist and labor movements, a path that led to his imprisonment for conspiracy during industrial action. Emigrating to Australia, he channeled that fire into politics, winning a seat for Botany in 1930. His career was nearly derailed by a bitter feud with the powerful Labor leader Jack Lang, which saw him expelled from the party. Yet Heffron was a survivor. He weathered the schism, eventually returning to the fold and climbing the ranks. As Premier from 1959 to 1964, he oversaw a period of significant modernization, pushing through major public works and social reforms that reshaped the state, proving that a radical past could fuel pragmatic, progressive governance.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Bob was born in 1890, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bob Was Born
The biggest hits of 1890
Bob's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1890Born
Wounded Knee massacre marks the end of the Indian Wars
President: Benjamin Harrison
1895Started school
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1903Became a teenager
Wright brothers achieve first powered flight
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1906Could drive
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Could vote
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1911Turned 21
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1920Turned 30
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1930Turned 40
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1940Turned 50
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1950Turned 60
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1960Turned 70
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 80
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1978Died at 88
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
Key Achievements
- Served as Premier of New South Wales from 1959 to 1964, overseeing a period of major infrastructure and social development.
- Elected to the New South Wales Parliament for Botany in 1930, serving continuously for over three decades.
- As a union organizer, was jailed for his role in planning strike action, highlighting his early commitment to labor causes.
- Navigated a major party split after his expulsion by Jack Lang, eventually returning to a senior leadership role.
Did You Know?
He was born in New Zealand and began his political activism there before moving to Australia.
His expulsion from the Labor Party was part of the larger, tumultuous split with faction leader Jack Lang.
He was sometimes known by his initials, R. J. Heffron.
“The worker's wage is the foundation of a decent society.”
