Richard Sleath

Richard 'Dick' Sleath
Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Wilcannia
In office 17 July 1894 – 16 July 1904
Preceded by	Edward Dickens
Succeeded by	Seat Abolished
Personal details
Born	Richard Sleath (1863-10-03)3 October 1863 Cerres, Fifeshire
Died	Sydney, New South Wales
Political party	Australian Labor Party
Other political affiliations	Nationalist Party of Australia
Spouse(s)	Jane Dawson
Children	4
Occupation	Miner, Bushworker, Quarryman

Richard 'Dick' Sleath (3 October 1863 – 10 October 1922) was an Australian politician.

Born in Cerres, Fifeshire to ploughman Richard Sleath and Mary Fernie, he migrated to Queensland in 1877, becoming a shearer and prospector. In 1882 he moved to Sydney, working as a contractor before mining at Broken Hill from 1887. On 11 March 1887, he married Jane Dawson with whom he had four sons. He helped found the first Socialist League at Broken Hill and was a member of the central executive of the Labor Party in 1898. In 1894 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the Labour member for Wilcannia. He lost his Labour endorsement in 1901 but was re-elected as an Independent Labor candidate, losing his seat in 1904. In 1917 Sleath, a supporter of conscription, joined the Nationalist Party. He died in Sydney in 1922.

References

Parliament of New South Wales
Preceded by Edward Dickens	Member for Wilcannia 1894 – 1904	District Abolished