Francis Michael Forde (1890 - 1983)

Born 18 Jul 1890 in Mitchell, Queensland (Australia)

Ancestors

Husband of Veronica Catherine (O'Reilly) Forde — married 24 Feb 1925 in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia

Died 28 Jan 1983 at age 92 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

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Biography

Frank Forde is Notable.

He was the 15th Prime Minister of Australia and holds the record for being in office for the shortest period of time, serving for just 8 days^[1][2] following the death of his predecessor, John Curtin. Frank Forde was John Curtin's deputy and, when Curtin died, Forde took over as Prime Minister until a new leader of the Labor Party could be appointed. Joseph Benedict (Ben) Chifley was chosen and became Prime Minister a week later.

Francis (Frank) Michael Forde was born in Mitchell, Queensland, on 18 July 1890. second of six children of Irish-born parents John Forde, railway ganger, and his wife Ellen, née Quirk. Educated initially at the local state school, Frank was sent to the Christian Brothers’ College, Toowoomba, where he later worked as a junior teacher until he was 20. His bent was more practical, however, and he was more ambitious. As a clerk in the Queensland Railway Department at Toowoomba he studied telegraphy; as a telegraphist in the Commonwealth Postmaster-General’s Department in Brisbane he studied to become an electrical engineer. In 1914 he was transferred to Rockhampton, where, with his good looks and friendly manner, he developed the social skills of debating, public speaking and dancing. With James Larcombe as his mentor, he threw himself into public life, becoming a leading figure in numerous organisations, especially the Australian Natives’ Association, the Australian Workers’ Union and the Rockhampton Workers’ Political Organisation.

Forde joined the Labor Party in Rockhampton, won the local Legislative Assembly seat in 1917 and remained a state parliamentarian for five years.

He married Veronica O'Reilly in 1925, and they had four children.

His daughter-in-law Leneen Forde was governor of Queensland in 1992-97.

The northern Canberra suburb of Forde is named in his honour.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia - List of Prime Ministers of Australia by time in office
2. ↑ "Australia's five shortest prime ministerships (and how they ended)", by Joey Watson, ABC Radio National, Posted Sun 16 Dec 2018 at 7:00pm, updated Mon 17 Dec 2018 at 9:37pm.
3. ↑ Wikipedia - Forde, ACT

• Australian Dictionary of Biography - Francis Michael (Frank) Forde
• Wikipedia entry on Frank Forde
• National Museum of Australia - Francis Forde
• Museum of Australian Democracy (Old Parliament House) - Frank Forde