Family background
Arthur Leslie McNeil was born on 9 October 1888 at Sydney, NSW, the son of James McNeil and Bridget Bergin. He married Elizabeth Margaret Drysdale at Warialda, NSW, on 23 March 1909 and they had 1 son and 3 daughters. The family lived at 166 Young Street, Redfern.
McNeil died on 11 November 1945 at Redfern, NSW, aged 57 years. He was buried in the Roman Catholic Section of Botany Cemetery. He left a will.
Occupation & interests
A house painter, Arthur McNeil was an active member of the Redfern branch of the ALP, and like many of his comrades, wore blue flannel shirts to work. He also worked as a motor driver and on his death, was listed as an employee of the tramways. He was representative of the typical Labor alderman – male, explicitly anti-Communist, strong links with the trade union movement.
Local government service
Arthur Leslie McNeil was an alderman for Surry Hills Ward in 1934.
References
‘Results of Polling for ‘Municipal Elections’, Sydney Morning Herald, 3 December 1934, p.13, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1711605
State Archives and Records of NSW; Indexes to Deceased Estate Files; Reference: 3272