Born in the Melbourne suburb of Prahran, to Irish-born taxi proprietor Samuel Beckett and Scottish-born Margaret Cameron, he attended both state and private schools before becoming a second-hand furniture dealer at Fitzroy with his brother Henry.
In 1914, he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council as Labor member for Melbourne North.
That year he was also elected to Fitzroy City Council, where he served until 1932 (mayor 1921–22, 1925–26).
He held his seat until he retired in 1952, and in 1953 he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
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