Gilbert Chandler
Encyclopedia
Sir Gilbert Lawrence Chandler, CMG
, KBE
(29 August 1903 – 8 April 1974) was a Liberal Party of Australia
politician
who served in the Bolte Ministry
in Victoria
.
Chandler, a horticulturist, was educated at Scotch College
in Melbourne. As a 25-year-old, Chandler played a game for the Hawthorn Football Club
in the 1928 VFL season
. He became a partner in his family's nursery at The Basin
in Bayswater before following his father, Alfred, into politics.
When Alfred Chandler died in 1935, Gilbert won the subsequent by-election and took his place as the United Australia Party
representative for Southern Province in the Victorian Legislative Council
. In 1935, Chandler also joined the Fern Tree Gully
Shire Council, who he would serve as president in 1938 and 1939. He switched to the Liberal Party
in 1943.
He was minister without portfolio from 1943 to 1945 and as the chairman Bush Fire Relief committee from 1944 until 1946. When Henry Bolte
became premier in 1955, he wanted Chandler as the Education Minister, but due to his horticultural background his requested to be Minister of Agriculture. The son-in-law of former politician Jabez Coon
, he served in that position until he retired from parliament in 1973.
Chandler was the Minister of State Development, Decentralisation and Immigration briefly in 1956. In 1962, he was appointed as the leader of the Legislative Council, having been deputy-leader since 1955. Due to his sporting history, Chandler was a member of the Melbourne Olympic
's organising committee in 1956. He would later be chairman of the Melbourne Cricket Ground
in 1973 and 1974.
He died of a coronary occlusion
in 1974, at the William Angliss Hospital, which he had been co-founder and president of since 1939. An agricultural college called the Gilbert Chandler Institute of Dairy Technology at Werribee was named after him.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, KBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(29 August 1903 – 8 April 1974) was a Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who served in the Bolte Ministry
Bolte Ministry
The Bolte Ministry was a Ministry of the Government of Victoria, and was led by Liberal Premier Henry Bolte. It succeeded the Cain ministry on 7 June 1955, following the defeat of the Labor government at the 1955 election held ten days earlier...
in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
.
Chandler, a horticulturist, was educated at Scotch College
Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for boys, located in Hawthorn, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
in Melbourne. As a 25-year-old, Chandler played a game for the Hawthorn Football Club
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
in the 1928 VFL season
1928 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1928.-Premiership season:In 1928, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves", although any of the 18 players who had left the playing field for any reason could later resume...
. He became a partner in his family's nursery at The Basin
The Basin, Victoria
The Basin is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 31 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Knox...
in Bayswater before following his father, Alfred, into politics.
When Alfred Chandler died in 1935, Gilbert won the subsequent by-election and took his place as the United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
representative for Southern Province in the Victorian Legislative Council
Victorian Legislative Council
The Victorian Legislative Council, is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia; the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Council serves as a house of review, in a similar fashion to...
. In 1935, Chandler also joined the Fern Tree Gully
Ferntree Gully, Victoria
Ferntree Gully is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, in the Dandenong Ranges, 29 km east from Melbourne's central business district. It is in the Local Government Area's of the Shire of Yarra Ranges and the City of Knox...
Shire Council, who he would serve as president in 1938 and 1939. He switched to the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
in 1943.
He was minister without portfolio from 1943 to 1945 and as the chairman Bush Fire Relief committee from 1944 until 1946. When Henry Bolte
Henry Bolte
Sir Henry Edward Bolte GCMG was an Australian politician. He was the 38th and longest serving Premier of Victoria.- Early years :...
became premier in 1955, he wanted Chandler as the Education Minister, but due to his horticultural background his requested to be Minister of Agriculture. The son-in-law of former politician Jabez Coon
Jabez Coon
Jabez Coon was an Australian politician. Born in Maldon, Victoria, he received a primary education before becoming a goldminer and then a boot merchant in Melbourne. In 1906, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Protectionist member for the new seat of Batman. He held...
, he served in that position until he retired from parliament in 1973.
Chandler was the Minister of State Development, Decentralisation and Immigration briefly in 1956. In 1962, he was appointed as the leader of the Legislative Council, having been deputy-leader since 1955. Due to his sporting history, Chandler was a member of the Melbourne Olympic
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
's organising committee in 1956. He would later be chairman of the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
in 1973 and 1974.
He died of a coronary occlusion
Coronary occlusion
A coronary occlusion is the partial or complete obstruction of blood flow in a coronary artery. This condition may cause a heart attack.In some patients coronary occlusion causes only mild pain, tightness or vague discomfort which may be ignored: the myocardium is however damaged....
in 1974, at the William Angliss Hospital, which he had been co-founder and president of since 1939. An agricultural college called the Gilbert Chandler Institute of Dairy Technology at Werribee was named after him.