Editing Andrew Fisher (section)

===Birth and family background===
[[Image:Fisher1.JPG|left|upright|thumb|Memorial [[cairn]] in [[Crosshouse]], Fisher's birthplace in rural Scotland]]
Fisher was born on 29 August 1862 in [[Crosshouse]],<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2YqjfHLyyj8C&pg=PA417|title=World War I: Encyclopedia|last=Tucker|first=Spencer|date=2005|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9781851094202|pages=417|language=en}}</ref> a mining village {{convert|2|mi|km}} west of [[Kilmarnock]], Scotland. He was the second of eight children born to Jane (née Garven or Garvin) and Robert Fisher; he had one older brother, four younger brothers, and two younger sisters.{{sfn|Day|2008|page=2}} His younger sister died at the age of 10 in 1879, the only one of the siblings not to live to adulthood.<ref>{{cite book|author=Peter Bastian|publisher=UNSW Press|title=Andrew Fisher: An Underestimated Man|year=2009|page=1}}</ref> Fisher's mother was the daughter of a blacksmith and worked as a domestic servant.{{sfn|Day|2008|page=2}} On his father's side, he was descended from a long line of [[Ayrshire]] coalminers. According to family tradition, his paternal grandfather was persecuted for his involvement in the fledgling union movement, and on one occasion was left homeless with five young children.<ref name="day5">Day (2008), p. 5.</ref> Although he was probably only partially literate,{{efn|On his marriage certificate, Fisher's mother signed her name but his father signed an "X". He may have been able to read, however, as schools in the early 19th century sometimes charged separately for reading and writing.}} Fisher's father was prominent in the local community and involved with various community organisations. He was the leader of a [[temperance society]],{{sfn|Bastian|2009|page=15}} and in 1863 was one of ten miners who co-founded a [[cooperative society]].<ref name=day5/> He and his family were active members of the [[Free Church of Scotland (1843–1900)|Free Church of Scotland]].{{sfn|Bastian|2009|page=12}}