Wallace Nelson

Who was Wallace Nelson?

Wallace Alexander Nelson was a short term Western Australian politician. He represented the Electoral district of Hannans from 1904 to 1905 in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly . He was described as the wit and humorist of the Australian Labor Party in those days, having much experience at oration and writing. He later moved on to editing newspapers, and writing books.

Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, Nelson had been ordered to relocate to a warmer climate by his doctor in Sheffield, England the 1880s, and subsequently immigrated to Brisbane and then Rockhampton, before moving to Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.

In Kalgoorlie, he was editor of the Westralian Worker until December 1902, having taken over from Thomas Bath, then the Kalgoorlie Sun and Figaro. After his stint in parliament he moved to Perth, where he edited the Perth Democrat, was leader writer for the Daily News and contributed to the literary journal Leeuwin. After 2 years in England, he moved to Sydney in 1916 where he edited the Australasian Manufacturer until a few months before his death in 1943.