Matthew Charlton

Matthew Charlton
Leader of the Opposition
In office 25 January 1922 – 29 March 1928
Prime Minister	Billy Hughes Stanley Bruce
Deputy	Albert Gardiner James Scullin
Preceded by	Frank Tudor
Succeeded by	James Scullin
Leader of the Labor Party
In office 16 May 1922 – 29 March 1928 Acting leader: 5 January – 16 May 1922
Deputy	Albert Gardiner James Scullin
Preceded by	Frank Tudor
Succeeded by	James Scullin
Assistant Leader of the Labor Party
In office 30 September 1921 – 16 May 1922
Leader	Frank Tudor
Preceded by	T. J. Ryan
Succeeded by	Frank Anstey
Electorate Member of the Australian Parliament for Hunter In office 13 April 1910 – 9 October 1928 Preceded by Frank Liddell Succeeded by Rowley James
State Parliament Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Northumberland In office 6 August 1904 – 28 February 1910 Preceded by John Norton Succeeded by William Kearsley Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Waratah In office 5 December 1903 – 6 August 1904 Preceded by Arthur Hill Griffith Succeeded by John Estell
Personal details
Born	Matthew Charlton (1866-03-15)15 March 1866 Linton, Colony of Victoria
Died	8 December 1948(1948-12-08) (aged 82) Lambton, New South Wales, Australia
Resting place	Sandgate Cemetery, Sandgate
Political party	Labor
Spouse	Martha Rollings ​ (m. 1889)​
Education	Lambton Public School
Occupation	Trade unionist Politician

Matthew Charlton (15 March 1866 – 8 December 1948)^[1] was an Australian politician who served as leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and Leader of the Opposition from 1922 to 1928. He led the party to defeat at the 1922 and 1925 federal elections.

Charlton was born in Linton, Victoria, but as a child moved to Lambton, New South Wales. He left school at a young age to work in the coal mines, initially as a hurrier. Charlton became prominent in the trade union movement, and in 1903 was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the Labor Party. He switched to federal parliament in 1910. Charlton was an anti-conscriptionist, and remained with Labor after the party split of 1916. He was elected party leader in early 1922, following the death of Frank Tudor. He increased Labor's vote at the 1922 election but suffered a backwards slide in 1925. He resigned as leader in early 1928, succeeded by James Scullin, and left politics later that year.