Kitson was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, England, to Ellen (née Lister) and James Kitson. He came to Western Australia in 1910, and initially worked as a labourer at Torbay, a small locality near Albany. Kitson moved to Fremantle in 1915, where he was a draper. While in Fremantle, he became involved in the union movement, eventually becoming secretary of the Fremantle Trades Hall.[1]
Following a ministerial reshuffle in March 1937, Kitson was also made Minister for Police, replacing Frank Wise. In another reshuffle after the 1939 election, he was made Minister for Education, while the position of Minister for Police was abolished and its responsibilities subsumed into those of the Chief Secretary. Kitson was replaced as education minister after the 1943 election, although the position of Minister for Police was recreated. He remained a minister until the Labor government's defeat at the 1947 election.[1]
Later life
In July 1946, Kitson was named to succeed Frank Troy as Agent-General for Western Australia, representing the state government in London.[2] He did not take up the position until May 1947, when his resignation from parliament was formalised. Kitson died in London in December 1952, aged 66.[3] He had married Mabel Alport in 1915, with whom he had four children.[1]
References
1234William Henry Kitson – Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
