Career
He represented the electoral district of Hannans from 1904 to 1905 in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. He was described as the wit and humorist of the Australian Labor Party in those days, having much experience at oration and writing. He later moved on to editing newspapers, and writing books
Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, Nelson had been ordered to relocate to a warmer climate by his doctor in Sheffield, England the 1880s, and subsequently immigrated to Brisbane and then Rockhampton.
He then moved to Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. In Kalgoorlie, he was editor of the Westralian Worker until December 1902, having taken over from Thomas Bath, then the Kalgoorlie Sun and Figaro.
After his stint in parliament he moved to Perth, where he edited the Perth Democrat, was leader writer for the Daily News and contributed to the literary journal Leeuwin. After two years in England, he moved to Sydney in 1916 where he edited the Australasian Manufacturer until a few months before his death in 1943.
Nelson was an official lecturer on the Great White Train tour of New South Wales country towns in 1925-1926.
He was also the author of a number of books
