Charles Seymour Papers 1880-1924: Treasure collection of the John Oxley Library

Dated 9 September 1892, the Manifesto of the Queensland Labour Party was written during a time of political and social upheaval in Queensland when the early Labor movement was looking for alternatives to industrial action to progress their aims. The Manifesto was written by Charles Seymour and signed by the party’s president, Thomas Glassey, who was also the first person to be popularly elected on a Labor platform in Queensland.

The document detailed the party’s grievances and was aimed at the ruling class who the party saw as opposing their aspirations and working benefits. Land reform, electoral issues and social equity were also themes referred to in the Manifesto.

According to Labor folklore, the Manifesto was read to the people at the site of the iconic Tree of Knowledge in the main street of Barcaldine.

Barcaldine was at the centre of strikes and industrial strife in the early 1890s. Whether or not the event did occur, the Manifesto proved to be a foundation document upon which the Labor movement attained its political power and parliamentary representation, culminating in the formation of the first Labor government in the world. The short-lived Anderson Dawson Labor Government came to power in 1899 for one week. Subsequently, Barcaldine became known as the birthplace of the Labor Party in Queensland.

You can access a facsimile of The Manifesto in the Charles Seymour Papers held by State Library of Queensland. In addition to the Manifesto, Seymour's Papers include correspondence, cuttings, pamphlets, leaflets, photographs, and documents relating to his activities in the Labor movement as well as his work as editor of The Worker from 1911 to 1915.

An article published in The Worker (Brisbane, Qld: 1890 – 1955) on the 27 February 1940 reveals how the newspaper came by its name, involving Charles Seymour and his wife at their home in Spring Hill, Brisbane prior to the first issue being printed in 1890.

In 2009, the Manifesto of the Queensland Labour Party, was identified by the International Advisory Committee and endorsed by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Consequently the document was included on the Memory of the World Register, a prestigious list focusing attention on Queensland’s remarkable history and the significance of the collection.

Collection: OM69-18 Charles Seymour Papers 1880-1924

View the collection here

Related blog

Manifesto of the Queensland Labour Party

Read about other treasure collections held in the John Oxley Library

1. Margaret Lawrie Collection of Torres Strait Islands
2. Johnstone Gallery Archive
3. Archibald Meston Papers
4. Mary Watson diaries
5. Central Queensland Separation League Petition
6. (I’m) Stranded : No Time, The Saints
7. Real estate maps collection
8. Portrait of an Australian Artists' Book
9. John Watts Necklace
10. Stable collection 1917 - 1991
11. Tony Fitzgerald Collection 1984 - 2009
12. Tindale Genealogical Collection 1928-1960
13. Dr Barbara Piscitelli AM Children’s Art Archive 1990-2020
14. Bennett Family Films 1956 – 1988
15. The Ron and Ngaire Gale Photographic Collection
16. Storylines Q150 digital stories