Greg McGirr
Encyclopedia
John Joseph Gregory McGirr (11 October 1879 – 23 March 1949) was an Australia
n politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
.
He was the second son of John Patrick McGirr, farmer and Irish Migrant, and Mary O'Sullivan; and he was born in Parkes
, New South Wales
. (James McGirr
, Premier of that state from 1947 to 1952, was one of his younger brothers.) Educated at St Joseph's Convent, Parkes, and St Stanislaus' College, Bathurst
, Greg graduated in pharmacy from the University of Sydney
in 1904. He opened chemist shops at Peak Hill
, Parkes, Orange
, Narromine
, and eventually Sydney
. He was also heavily involved in land and stock trading. Despite his wealth he joined the Australian Labor Party
, along with many other Catholics.
In 1910 McGirr ran unsuccessfully for the seat of Orange
, but won Yass
at a by-election in 1913. In 1914 he married Rachel Rittenburg Miller BA
, a schoolteacher. He was ALP whip from 1916 until 1917. At the 1920 election proportional representation
was introduced to most of the State and the Yass electorate was absorbed into an expanded multi-member electoral district of Cootamundra
, and he won a seat in it. Labour won the election he became Minister for Public Health and Motherhood until the defeat of the Government in the 1922 election. He was also deputy party leader after the death of John Storey
in 1921. In 1922, he won a seat in Sydney
and became party leader as a result of the expulsion of its leader James Dooley
from the party in March 1923. The Federal Labor Executive then intervened in the State Party and, after the interim leadership of Bill Dunn
, Jack Lang
became party leader in July 1923.
As a result of his involvement in the previous machinations, McGirr was isolated and resigned from the party in July and attempted to establish the "Young Australia Party". He was defeated at the 1925 election and subsequently concentrated on his business interests, except for an unsuccessful attempt to win Calare
for the State (Hughes-Evans) Labor Party
in September 1940. He died in Sydney, survived by his wife and eight of his nine children. Another one of his brothers was Patrick McGirr, yet another New South Wales politician. One of his daughters, Trixie, moved to Britain where she became a Conservative politician and is the only Australian woman made a life peer
ess of the United Kingdom parliament, as Trixie Gardner, Baroness Gardner of Parkes
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
.
He was the second son of John Patrick McGirr, farmer and Irish Migrant, and Mary O'Sullivan; and he was born in Parkes
Parkes, New South Wales
- Transport :Parkes has a local bus service provided by Western Road Liners, which acquired Harris Bus Lines in March 2006. The Indian Pacific also stops twice a week, as well as the Broken Hill Outback Xplorer service, run by CountryLink, which heads to Broken Hill on Mondays and Sydney on...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. (James McGirr
James McGirr
James McGirr was the Labor Premier of New South Wales from 6 February 1947 to 3 April 1952.A Catholic, McGirr was the seventh son of John Patrick McGirr, farmer and Irish immigrant, and Mary McGirr, whose maiden name was O'Sullivan. Born in Parkes, New South Wales, he grew up on a dairy farm near...
, Premier of that state from 1947 to 1952, was one of his younger brothers.) Educated at St Joseph's Convent, Parkes, and St Stanislaus' College, Bathurst
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
, Greg graduated in pharmacy from the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
in 1904. He opened chemist shops at Peak Hill
Peak Hill, New South Wales
Peak Hill is a town in Parkes Shire in the Central West of New South Wales, Australia. At the 2006 census, Peak Hill had a population of 946 people.It is on the Newell Highway and the Dubbo to Parkes railway line, completed to Peak Hill in 1910...
, Parkes, Orange
Orange, New South Wales
Orange is a city in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is west of the state capital, Sydney, at an altitude of . Orange has an estimated population of 39,329 and the city is a major provincial centre....
, Narromine
Narromine, New South Wales
Narromine is a town located about 40 kilometres west of Dubbo in the Orana region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the centre of Narromine Shire. At the 2006 census, Narromine had a population of 3,599 people...
, and eventually Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. He was also heavily involved in land and stock trading. Despite his wealth he joined the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
, along with many other Catholics.
In 1910 McGirr ran unsuccessfully for the seat of Orange
Electoral district of Orange
Orange is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Andrew Gee of the National Party of Australia....
, but won Yass
Electoral district of Yass
Yass was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales between 1894 and 1920. It largely replaced the electoral district of Yass Plains. In 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation, it was absorbed along with Burrangong into...
at a by-election in 1913. In 1914 he married Rachel Rittenburg Miller BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, a schoolteacher. He was ALP whip from 1916 until 1917. At the 1920 election proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
was introduced to most of the State and the Yass electorate was absorbed into an expanded multi-member electoral district of Cootamundra
Electoral district of Cootamundra
Cootamundra was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1904 to 1941, in the Cootamundra area. It elected one member between 1904 and 1920 and between 1927 and 1941. In 1920, it absorbed Burrangong and Yass and elected three members under...
, and he won a seat in it. Labour won the election he became Minister for Public Health and Motherhood until the defeat of the Government in the 1922 election. He was also deputy party leader after the death of John Storey
John Storey (politician)
John Storey was an Australian politician who was Premier of New South Wales from 12 April 1920 until his sudden death in Sydney...
in 1921. In 1922, he won a seat in Sydney
Electoral district of Sydney
Sydney is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian state of New South Wales in Inner Sydney. It includes the commercial centre of the Sydney CBD; the suburbs and localities of Barangaroo, Broadway, Chinatown, Chippendale, Darling Harbour, Dawes Point, Elizabeth Bay,...
and became party leader as a result of the expulsion of its leader James Dooley
James Dooley (Australian politician)
James Thomas Dooley served twice, briefly, as Premier of New South Wales during the early 1920s.-Early years:...
from the party in March 1923. The Federal Labor Executive then intervened in the State Party and, after the interim leadership of Bill Dunn
Bill Dunn (Australian politician)
William Fraser Dunn was an Australian politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1910 until 1950. He was a member of the ALP.-Early life:...
, Jack Lang
Jack Lang (Australian politician)
John Thomas Lang , usually referred to as J.T. Lang during his career, and familiarly known as "Jack" and nicknamed "The Big Fella" was an Australian politician who was Premier of New South Wales for two terms...
became party leader in July 1923.
As a result of his involvement in the previous machinations, McGirr was isolated and resigned from the party in July and attempted to establish the "Young Australia Party". He was defeated at the 1925 election and subsequently concentrated on his business interests, except for an unsuccessful attempt to win Calare
Division of Calare
The Division of Calare is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was first contested at the 1906 election and is named for the local Aboriginal name for the Lachlan River, which runs through the western part of the division...
for the State (Hughes-Evans) Labor Party
State Labor Party
The State Labor Party , was an Australian political party which operated exclusively in the state of New South Wales in the early 1940s. The party was initially a far-left faction of the Australian Labor Party, strongly opposed to the right-wing faction of the party dominated by Jack Lang, former...
in September 1940. He died in Sydney, survived by his wife and eight of his nine children. Another one of his brothers was Patrick McGirr, yet another New South Wales politician. One of his daughters, Trixie, moved to Britain where she became a Conservative politician and is the only Australian woman made a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
ess of the United Kingdom parliament, as Trixie Gardner, Baroness Gardner of Parkes
Trixie Gardner, Baroness Gardner of Parkes
Rachel Trixie Anne Gardner, Baroness Gardner of Parkes, AM FRSA is an Australian-born dentist, Conservative politician, and life peeress of the United Kingdom parliament...
.