John McLeay Sr.: Difference between revisions

The Honourable
Sir John McLeay
KCMG, MM
The Honourable Sir John McLeay KCMG, MM
13th Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
	In office; 29 August 1956 – 31 October 1966
Preceded by	Archie Cameron
Succeeded by	Sir William Aston
Member of the Australian Parliament; for Boothby
	In office; 10 December 1949 – 31 October 1966
Preceded by	Thomas Sheehy
Succeeded by	John McLeay Jr.
Personal details
Born	19 November 1893; Port Clinton, South Australia
Died	22 June 1982 (aged 88); Adelaide, South Australia
Political party	Independent (1938–1941); Liberal (1949–1966)
Spouse	Eileen Elden (m. 1921⁠–⁠1971)
Relations	John McLeay Jr. (son); George McLeay (brother)
Profession	Businessman
Military service
Allegiance	Australia
Branch/service	Australian Imperial Force
Years of service	1915–1919
Rank	Lance Corporal
Unit	13th Australian Field Ambulance
Battles/wars	First World War
Awards	Military Medal

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Sir John "Jack" McLeay, KCMG, MM (19 November 1893 – 22 June 1982) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Liberal Party and served in the House of Representatives from 1949 to 1966, representing the Division of Boothby in South Australia. He was Speaker of the House of Representatives for a record 10-year term, from 1956 to 1966. McLeay was a businessman by profession, and before entering federal politics served as Mayor of Unley (1935–1937), as a member of the South Australian House of Assembly (1938–1941), and as Lord Mayor of Adelaide (1946–1950).

Early life

McLeay was born on 23 November 1893 in Port Clinton, South Australia. He was the second of six children born to Marguaretta (née Barton) and George McLeay, his father being a farmer. His older brother George McLeay also entered federal politics, serving as a government minister. McLeay attended state schools in Port Clinton and Unley until the age of fourteen, leaving school to work as an errand boy. He later studied at Muirden College, a business college in Adelaide, and worked as a commercial traveller.^[1]

McLeay enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in May 1915. He served with medical units in the Middle East and on the Western Front. While stationed in France as a stretcher-bearer with the 13th Field Ambulance, he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery on the opening day of the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux in April 1918. He was formally discharged from the military in October 1919.^[1]

After returning to Australia, McLeay went into business with his brother George as accountants and general agents. Their firm McLeay Bros later evolved into a wholesale and retail furnishing business. He married Eileen Elden in 1921, with whom he had two sons and a daughter.^[1]

State and local politics

Elected to the Adelaide suburban Unley City Council in 1924, McLeay served as Mayor of Unley from 1935 to 1937, resigning to contest the state Electoral district of Unley as an independent at the 1938 election. He was one of 14 lower house MPs to be elected as an independent, which as a grouping won 40 percent of the primary vote, more than either of the major parties. At the time, there were 39 MPs in the legislature. Tom Stott was the de facto leader of the independent caucus within parliament. McLeay lost Unley at the 1941 election and later acknowledged that his three-year period in the House of Assembly was a waste of time, in terms of his being able to accomplish anything as an independent.

Federal politics

Nevertheless McLeay did not stay out of politics for long. He was elected Lord Mayor of Adelaide in 1946, and held that office till 1949, during which time he gained Liberal and Country League pre-selection for the federal electorate of Boothby in south-central Adelaide for that year's federal election. The seat had been held by Labor incumbent Thomas Sheehy, but a redistribution notionally made the seat a marginal LCL seat. While Sheehy made an unsuccessful bid to transfer to neighbouring Kingston, McLeay won Boothby on a large swing of 9.3 percent, turning it into a safe LCL seat in one stroke. He entered the Australian House of Representatives as part of that year's massive Coalition landslide.

In 1956 McLeay became Speaker of the House. He remained Speaker for more than 10 years (a record that still stands), until he resigned from parliament on 31 October 1966. Following his retirement, McLeay served as Chairman of McLeay Brothers Ltd. and director of other companies, as well as member of the Tramways Trust Board, the State Bank of South Australia and the council of the University of Adelaide. He also served as president of the Adelaide Legacy Club, the South Australian Retail Furniture Association, the South Australian Playground Association and the South Australian Tree Planters Association.

Created a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1962 for political and community services, McLeay had family members who carried on the tradition of political activism. His brother George and his son John Jnr both served in the federal parliament, John Jnr having inherited the electorate of Boothby from John Snr.

Death

McLeay died in Adelaide after a short illness, predeceased by his wife, Lady Eileen. A state funeral was held in his honour.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Barlin, L. M. (2012). "McLeay, Sir John (1893–1982)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 22 October 2015.

Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Archie Cameron	Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives 1956–1966	Succeeded by Sir William Aston
Preceded by Thomas Sheehy	Member for Boothby 1949–1966	Succeeded by John McLeay Jr.
Parliament of South Australia
New seat	Member for Unley 1938–1941	Succeeded by Colin Dunnage

[adb-1] Barlin, L. M. (2012). "McLeay, Sir John (1893–1982)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 22 October 2015.

[1]

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 | death_place = [[Adelaide]], [[South Australia]]
 | nationality = Australian
-| spouse = Eileen
+| spouse = {{marriage|Eileen Elden|1921|1971}}
-| party = [[Independent politician|Independent]] (1938–1941)<br />[[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]] (1949–1966)
+| party = [[Independent politician|Independent]] (1938–1941)<br />[[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]] (1949–1966)
 | relations = [[John McLeay Jr.]] (son)<br/>[[George McLeay]] (brother)
 | children =
@@ Line 43: / Line 43: @@
  | mawards         = [[Military Medal]]
 }}
-'''Sir John "Jack" McLeay''', {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100%|sep=,|KCMG|MM}} (19 November 1893 – 22 June 1982) was an Australian politician and the longest-serving [[Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Barlin|first1=L. M.|title=McLeay, Sir John (1893–1982)|url=http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mcleay-sir-john-15037|publisher=Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University|accessdate=22 October 2015|date=2012}}</ref>
+'''Sir John "Jack" McLeay''', {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100%|sep=,|KCMG|MM}} (19 November 1893 – 22 June 1982) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]] and served in the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] from 1949 to 1966, representing the [[Division of Boothby]] in [[South Australia]]. He was [[Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives|Speaker of the House of Representatives]] for a record 10-year term, from 1956 to 1966. McLeay was a businessman by profession, and before entering federal politics served as [[City of Unley|Mayor of Unley]] (1935–1937), as a member of the [[South Australian House of Assembly]] (1938–1941), and as [[Lord Mayor of Adelaide]] (1946–1950).
 ==Early life==
+McLeay was born on 23 November 1893 in [[Port Clinton, South Australia]]. He was the second of six children born to Marguaretta (née Barton) and George McLeay, his father being a farmer. His older brother [[George McLeay]] also entered federal politics, serving as a government minister. McLeay attended state schools in Port Clinton and [[Unley, South Australia|Unley]] until the age of fourteen, leaving school to work as an errand boy. He later studied at Muirden College, a [[business college]] in Adelaide, and worked as a [[commercial traveller]].<ref name=adb>{{cite web|last1=Barlin|first1=L. M.|title=McLeay, Sir John (1893–1982)|url=http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mcleay-sir-john-15037|work=[[Australian Dictionary of Biography]]|publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University|accessdate=22 October 2015|date=2012}}</ref>
-McLeay was born in [[Port Clinton, South Australia|Port Clinton]], the son of well to do farmers.  After his initial schooling in Port Clinton, McLeay finished his education in [[Adelaide]], attending [[Unley High School]] and Muirden College before commencing work for local businesses.
+McLeay enlisted in the [[First Australian Imperial Force|Australian Imperial Force]] (AIF) in May 1915. He served with medical units in the Middle East and on the Western Front. While stationed in France as a stretcher-bearer with the 13th Field Ambulance, he was awarded the [[Military Medal]] for bravery on the opening day of the [[Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux]] in April 1918. He was formally discharged from the military in October 1919.<ref name=adb/>
-==Military experience==
-He enlisted soon after the outbreak of the [[First World War]], serving as a stretcher-bearer in the Field Ambulance Corps in France, and was awarded the [[Military Medal]] for his bravery under fire. Returning to Adelaide after the war, McLeay joined his brother [[George McLeay|George's]] importing business and involved himself in local issues.
+After returning to Australia, McLeay went into business with his brother George as accountants and [[general agent]]s. Their firm McLeay Bros later evolved into a wholesale and retail furnishing business. He married Eileen Elden in 1921, with whom he had two sons and a daughter.<ref name=adb/>
-==Political life==
-Elected to the Adelaide suburban Unley Council in 1924, McLeay served as Mayor of Unley from 1935 to 1937, resigning to contest the state [[Electoral district of Unley]] as an [[Independent politician|independent]] at the [[1938 South Australian state election|1938 election]].  He was one of 14 lower house MPs to be elected as an [[Independent politician|independent]], which as a grouping won 40 percent of the primary vote, more than either of the major parties. At the time, there were 39 MPs in the legislature. [[Tom Stott]] was the de facto leader of the independent caucus within parliament. McLeay lost Unley at the [[1941 South Australian state election|1941 election]] and later acknowledged that his three-year period in the House of Assembly was a waste of time, in terms of his being able to accomplish anything as an independent.
+==State and local politics==
+Elected to the Adelaide suburban [[City of Unley|Unley City Council]] in 1924, McLeay served as Mayor of Unley from 1935 to 1937, resigning to contest the state [[Electoral district of Unley]] as an [[Independent politician|independent]] at the [[1938 South Australian state election|1938 election]].  He was one of 14 lower house MPs to be elected as an [[Independent politician|independent]], which as a grouping won 40 percent of the primary vote, more than either of the major parties. At the time, there were 39 MPs in the legislature. [[Tom Stott]] was the de facto leader of the independent caucus within parliament. McLeay lost Unley at the [[1941 South Australian state election|1941 election]] and later acknowledged that his three-year period in the House of Assembly was a waste of time, in terms of his being able to accomplish anything as an independent.
+==Federal politics==
 Nevertheless McLeay did not stay out of politics for long. He was elected [[Lord Mayor of Adelaide]] in 1946, and held that office till 1949, during which time he gained [[Liberal and Country League]] pre-selection for the federal electorate of [[Division of Boothby|Boothby]] in south-central Adelaide for [[1949 Australian federal election|that year's federal election]]. The seat had been held by [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]] incumbent [[Thomas Sheehy]], but a redistribution notionally made the seat a marginal LCL seat. While Sheehy made an unsuccessful bid to transfer to neighbouring [[Division of Kingston|Kingston]], McLeay won Boothby on a large swing of 9.3 percent, turning it into a safe LCL seat in one stroke. He entered the [[Australian House of Representatives]] as part of that year's massive [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]] landslide.