 |
The
Rt Hon Sir Robert Gordon MENZIES, KT, AK, CH, FRS, QC was born
in Jeparit, Victoria. Australia's longest serving
prime minister, he was a barrister before being elected to the
Victorian parliament in 1928.
Entering
federal parliament in 1934 as a member of the United Australia
Party, he became Prime Minister in 1939 but resigned in 1941 because
of dissatisfaction with his leadership.
In
1945 he formed a new Liberal Party which he led to victory
in 1949, remaining Prime Minister until retirement in 1966.
|
Some salient dates are:
|
| 20
December 1894 |
Born
at Jeparit, Victoria |
| 1916 |
Graduated
in Law with First Class Honours |
| 1918 |
Admitted
to the Victorian Bar and High Court of Australia |
| 27
September 1920 |
Married
Pattie Maie Leckie |
| 1928-29 |
Member
Legislative Council of Victoria for East Yarra |
| 1929 |
Appointed
KC |
| 1929-34 |
Member,
Legislative Assembly of Victoria for Nunawading |
| 1932-34 |
Attorney-General,
Minister for Railways, Deputy Premier |
| 1934-66 |
Member
of the House of Representatives for Kooyong |
| 1934-39 |
Federal
Attorney-General |
| 1937 |
Appointed
Privy Councillor |
| 1939 |
Resigned
from Lyons Ministry |
| 1939 |
Sworn
in as Prime Minister of Australia |
| 1941 |
Resigned
Prime Ministership |
| 1942 |
"The
Forgotten People" broadcast essays |
| 1943-49 |
Leader
of Federal Opposition |
| 1944 |
Convened
Canberra Conference which resolved to form a new Liberal Party |
| 1946 |
Liberal
Party's Federal Platform composed |
| 1949 |
Sworn
in as Prime Minister of Australia |
| 1951 |
Appointed
Companion of Honour |
| 1956 |
Led
Suez mission |
| 1963 |
Awarded
Order of Knight of the Thistle |
| 1965 |
Appointed
Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and Constable of Dover Castle |
| 1966 |
Retired
as Prime Minister |
| 1967-72 |
Chancellor
of the University of Melbourne |
| 1973 |
Awarded
Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun, First Class |
| 1976 |
Awarded
Knight of the Order of Australia |
| 15
May 1978 |
Died
at Malvern, Victoria |
|
Further
information on Sir Robert's life and career can be found in this
Menzies Virtual Museum and in:
|
Martin, A.W. (1993) Robert Menzies: A Life, Vol 1, 1894-1943,
Melbourne University Press, Melbourne.
Martin,
A.W. (1999) Robert Menzies: A Life, Vol 2, 1944-1978, Melbourne
University Press, Melbourne.
|
| A
more extensive bibliography can be found in: |
Bunting, E.J.(1988) R.G. Menzies: A Portrait. Allen and
Unwin, Sydney.
(The Menzies Foundation has
a small number of copies of this book which are available at
a cost of $25.00 AUD, including postage.)
|
|
Sir
Robert's own books include:
|
To the people of Britain at war (1970 edition) Longmans, London.
The
forgotten people (1943) Angus and Robertson, Sydney.
Speech
is of time (1958) Cassell, London.
Afternoon
light (1967) Cassell, Sydney.
Central
power in the Australian Commonwealth (1967)Cassell, London.
The
measure of the years (1970) Cassell, London .
|
