Molesworth, Voltaire, 1890 – 1934

Voltaire Molesworth (1889-1934), journalist and parliamentarian, was born at Balmain, Sydney, son of James and Elizabeth Molesworth. At the age of three Molesworth went with his family to William Lane's New Australia settlement at Paraguay for about a year. After a primary school education in Sydney Molesworth became a warehouse clerk and in 1912 joined the staff of the Cumberland Times, moving to the Evening News in 1914. He specialised as a journalist in industrial affairs.

In 1913 Molesworth became a delegate to the Nepean Federal Labor Council. Between 1914 and 1918 served as secretary of the Nepean Labor Council while working as a journalist. By 1919 he was president of the Randwick Labor Council and was a member of the central executive of the State branch of the Labor Party.

Molesworth was elected a member of the NSW Legislative Assembly for the seat of Cumberland in 1920 but retired in 1925. He did not support J.T. Lang and had supported a leadership challenge by T.D. Mutch. Molesworth continued his career in journalism as editor of the Daily Guardian. He became a supporter of the Nationalists and their successors, the United Australia Party, and was nominated to the NSW Legislative Council (1932-1934).[ref:ADB 10]