Robert Cosgrove

The Honourable Sir Robert Cosgrove KCMG
Sir Robert Cosgrove KCMG

30th Premier of Tasmania
In office 18 December 1939 – 18 December 1947
Preceded by	Edmund Dwyer-Gray
Succeeded by	Edward Brooker
Constituency	Denison
In office 25 February 1948 – 26 August 1958
Preceded by	Edward Brooker
Succeeded by	Eric Reece
Personal details
Born	(1884-12-28)28 December 1884 Tea Tree, Tasmania, Australia
Died	25 August 1969(1969-08-25) (aged 84) Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Australian Labor Party
Spouse(s)	Dame Gertrude Cosgrove
Religion	Roman Catholic

Sir Robert Cosgrove KCMG (28 December 1884 – 25 August 1969) was an Australian politician, trade unionist, and twice Premier of Tasmania from 18 December 1939 to 18 December 1947 and 25 February 1948 to 26 August 1958. His eighteen years as premier remains the longest in Tasmania's history; he dominated the state's Australian Labor Party branch for a generation.

Elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly for Denison in 1919, he was defeated in 1922. He regained the seat in 1925, holding it until 1931. Reelected in 1934, he remained in the legislature until his retirement in 1958.

He was minister administering the Hydro-Electric Commission Act for sixteen years between 1942 and 1958^[1]

He was married to Dame Gertrude Cosgrove from 1911 until her death in 1962; they had four children, including a son who was killed in World War II; another son, Henry Cosgrove, became a Judge of the Supreme Court of Tasmania. She was appointed DBE in 1947.

In December 1947, Cosgrove was indicted on charges of bribery and corruption. He stood down as Premier during his trial, and longtime minister Edward Brooker was sworn in as his replacement on 19 December 1947. The trial was concluded by February the next year, and Cosgrove was acquitted. Brooker stood down and Cosgrove was reinstated, appointing Brooker as Treasurer and Minister for Transport.^[2]

Cosgrove was chairman of the Tasmanian Tourist Council and of the Southern Tasmanian Trotting Association. He was also a member of the council of the University of Tasmania (1940–46 and 1948–55) and of the local branch of the St Vincent de Paul Society, and president of the Royal Hobart Golf Club.

Cosgrove was knighted as a KCMG in 1958.

References

↑ Garvie, R. M. H. (1962) A million horses: Tasmania's power in the mountains Hobart: Hydro-Electric Commission, Tasmania. page 27
↑ Parliamentary Library profile, Parliament of Tasmania, 24 November 2005.

External links

Political offices
Preceded by Edmund Dwyer-Gray	Premier of Tasmania 1939–1947	Succeeded by Edward Brooker
Preceded by Edward Brooker	Premier of Tasmania 1948–1958	Succeeded by Eric Reece

Premiers of Tasmania

William Champ Thomas Gregson William Weston Francis Smith Thomas Chapman James Whyte Richard Dry James Milne Wilson Frederick Innes Alfred Kennerley Thomas Reibey Philip Fysh William Giblin William Crowther Adye Douglas James Agnew Henry Dobson Edward Braddon Elliott Lewis William Propsting John Evans John Earle Albert Solomon Walter Lee John Hayes Joseph Lyons John McPhee Albert Ogilvie Edmund Dwyer-Gray Robert Cosgrove Edward Brooker Eric Reece Angus Bethune Bill Neilson Doug Lowe Harry Holgate Robin Gray Michael Field Ray Groom Tony Rundle Jim Bacon Paul Lennon David Bartlett Lara Giddings Will Hodgman

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 93558150

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/10/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.