What was Ben Chifley known for?

What was Ben Chifley known for?

Joseph Benedict Chifley (/ˈtʃɪfli/; 22 September 1885 – 13 June 1951) was an Australian politician who served as the 16th Prime Minister of Australia, in office from 1945 to 1949. He was leader of the Labor Party from 1945 until his death.

What political party was Ben Chifley?

Australian Labor Party (NSW)
Ben Chifley/Parties

Which Australian prime minister was a train driver?

Ben Chifley is remembered today as the locomotive engine driver who went on to become Prime Minister. In 1903, aged 17, Chifley went to work for NSW Government Railways as a shop-boy in the Bathurst workshops.

How long was Menzies prime minister?

Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, KT, AK, CH, QC, FAA, FRS (/ˈmɛnziːz/; 20 December 1894 – 15 May 1978), was an Australian politician who twice served as Prime Minister of Australia, in office from 1939 to 1941 and again from 1949 to 1966.

Who is prime minister Australia?

Scott MorrisonSince 2018
Australia/Prime minister
The incumbent prime minister is Scott Morrison, who took office in August 2018 as leader of the Liberal Party. Formally appointed by the governor-general, the office of the prime minister is governed by Westminster system convention as it is not described in the Australian constitution.

Who is the youngest prime minister in Australia?

The youngest person to assume the office was Chris Watson (age 37 years, 18 days). The oldest person to assume office was John McEwen (age 67 years, 265 days). The oldest living former prime minister is John Howard, born 26 July 1939 (age 82 years, 80 days).

Who is Chifley named after?

Chifley (postcode: 2606) is a suburb of Canberra, Australia, in the district of Woden Valley. The suburb’s area is 1.6 square kilometres (0.62 sq mi). It was named after Joseph Benedict Chifley, Prime Minister of Australia from July 1945 to December 1949.

Where is Menzies buried?

Melbourne General Cemetery, Carlton North, Australia
Robert Menzies/Place of burial
Five Prime Ministers of Australia are memorialised at Melbourne General Cemetery. Three are interred in the cemetery’s ‘Prime Ministers Garden’: Sir Robert Menzies (including Dame Pattie Menzies), Sir John Gorton, and Malcolm Fraser.

Which prime minister drowned?

On 17 December 1967, Harold Edward Holt became the third Australian Prime Minister to die in office. His death was subsequently the subject of controversy. The Prime Minister was presumed dead 2 days after he disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach near Portsea in Melbourne.

What did Ben Chifley do for a living?

Born in Bathurst 22 September 1885, Ben Chifley was brought up on a farm by his grandfather. A voracious reader, he joined the New South Wales Railway in 1903 and became an engine driver in 1914. In the meantime he developed a keen interest in finance and economics, an interest he maintained throughout his political career.

How old was Ben Chifley when he was defeated?

He was defeated by 903 votes, but, in 1928, at the age of 43, and with the assistance of James Scullin who was to become a lifelong adviser, friend and patron, he won the seat with a majority of 3578. In Federal parliament Chifley attacked the coal-owners of New South Wales for their handling of industrial disputes.

When did Ben Chifley become Prime Minister of Australia?

Prime Minister Ben Chifley. Chifley became Prime Minister following Curtin’s death, succeeding the caretaker Prime Minister, Francis Forde, on 13 July 1945. He visited the UK, USA, Japan and New Zealand while on four overseas trips to attend conferences from 1946–1949.

Where did Ben Chifley go to high school?

Returning to Bathurst in 1899, he spent two years at the Patrician Brothers’ High School where he acquired some further knowledge of English, mathematics and technical subjects. Chifley’s reading was a combination of the classical and the practical.