William Morris (Billy) Hughes was born on 25 September 1862 in London to Welsh immigrants. He began his working life as a teacher in Westminster. Hughes migrated to Brisbane in 1884 and taking on a great variety of jobs, he worked his way to Sydney. He opened a small mixed business in Balmain with his wife in 1891.

Hughes joined the Socialist League and in 1893 was appointed Australian Worker's Union organiser. He was elected to the NSW legislative assembly as the Solidarity Labor Party candidate for Lang in 1894. While a politician Hughes studied law and was admitted as a barrister in 1903. From 1901 to 1951 Hughes was elected at all 21 general elections in New South Wales and Victoria, He was Prime Minister from October 1915 to February 1923 when he resigned. At his death in October 1952 Hughes had spent over 58 years as a member of parliament, almost 51 of these in federal parliament.

This is an interesting sketch of Billy Hughes, former Prime Minister of Australia, done by a noted caricaturist R. Cope and as such a worthwhile addition to the collection. The Museum has a small collection of material relating to Australian political figures.