▁ ▁politician ▁who ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁representing ▁the ▁Labor ▁Party . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁party ' s ▁deput y ▁leader ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁Minister ▁for ▁Home ▁Affairs ▁in ▁the ▁Sc ull in ▁Government ▁( 1 9 2 9 – 1 9 3 2 ). ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Bla keley ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 3 ▁July ▁ 1 8 8 6 ▁in ▁Gil ber ton , ▁South ▁Australia . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Catherine ▁Ann ▁( née ▁Green wood ) ▁and ▁S ime on ▁Bla keley , ▁his ▁father ▁being ▁a ▁house - p ain ter ▁from ▁York shire , ▁England . ▁When ▁he ▁was ▁young , ▁the ▁family ▁moved ▁to ▁Bro ken ▁Hill , ▁New ▁South ▁Wales , ▁where ▁he ▁attended ▁a ▁convent ▁school . ▁Bla keley ▁was ▁educated ▁to ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 3 , ▁when ▁he ▁left ▁school ▁to ▁work ▁in ▁the ▁min ing ▁cam ps . ▁He ▁later ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁she ar er . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 2 , ▁he ▁became ▁an ▁organ iser ▁for ▁the ▁Australian ▁Work ers ' ▁Union ▁( AW U ). ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁secretary ▁of ▁its ▁western ▁branch ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁based ▁in ▁Bour ke , ▁New ▁South ▁Wales . ▁Bla keley ▁married ▁Ruby ▁Paul ine ▁Mc Car roll ▁in ▁ 1