Background
He was born in Plymouth, England as where he spent his childhood and school years. Samuel followed his father, Samuel Toombs Senior, with service in the Royal Navy in England.
He was born in Plymouth, England as where he spent his childhood and school years. Samuel followed his father, Samuel Toombs Senior, with service in the Royal Navy in England.
Samuel Junior. migrated to Australia, arriving in New South Wales in 1891. Toombs remarried Agnes Claire Donohue in 1944. Toombs died at the age of 78 at Lansvale, a suburb of Sydney.
A strong workers advocate, Toombs assisted to found Merchant Service Guild (a precursor to the Australian Maritime Officers trade union).
As a Labor candidate he represented Hurstville in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1913 to 1917, during the difficult environment of World War I.
After the War he served as secretary of Radio Telegraphers" Union in 1922.
Toombs was a longtime member of the Australian Labor Party, including service as a member of the central executive from 1914 - 1916.
