he was born at darlinghurst to printer and accountant thomas carlyle akhurst and emily kate naphthali. he was educated at annandale and then at blenahassets school of accountancy and ballarat mining school. in 1905 he joined the labor party, and was private secretary to donald macdonell and edward grayndler in their capacity as general secretaries of the australian workers' union. on 15 february 1910 he married laura ellen thomas, with whom he had two children; a second marriage in 1920 to marian lucardo produced a daughter, and a third on 13 january 1943 was to ethel may smith and was childless. in 1925 he was appointed to the new south wales legislative council as a labor member, but in 1926 he was expelled from the party after he failed to vote to abolish the council. he served as an independent in the council until its reconstitution in 1934. akhurst died in sydney in 1953.