Earle Christmas Grafton Page

Background

Page was born on August, 8, 1880, in Grafton, New South Wales. He was the fifth of eleven children of Charles Page and Annie Cox. His father was a blacksmith and coach builder.

Education

Page was born in Grafton, New South Wales. He entered the University of Sydney at the age of 14, and completed his medical degree at the age of 20.

Career

A founderand leader of the Country Party, Page held several ministerial posts and made many contributions to Australian federal government. He reorganized the public loan system, and was responsible for the adoption of federal aid to road building and for a combination of healthinsurance and federal health subsidies that took effect after 1949. Page was born at Grafton, New South Wales, on Aug. 8, 1880. He graduated in medicine at Sydney University and during World War I served in the Army Medical Corps. In 1919 he was elected to the federal House of Representatives from the division of Cowper, which included Grafton. He remained its member until 1961. Page was a cofounder of the parliamentary Country Party and became its leader in 1921. In 1922 and 1923, he was instrumental in the removal of William M. Hughes as Nationalist Party leader, and in 1923 formed a coalition government with Stanley M. Bruce, the new Nationalist leader, in which Page was treasurer and deputy prime minister. On the defeat of this government in 1929, Page led the Country Party in opposition until 1934, when a coalition was formed with the United Australia Party, successor to the Nationalists, and Page became minister for commerce. Following the death of Joseph A. Lyons in 1939, Page was prime minister for 19 days, then refused to serve under the new leader of the United Australia Party, Robert G. Menzies. From 1941 to 1942 Page represented Australia in the British War Cabinet and Pacific War Council in London. With the defeat of Labor in 1949, Page composed his differences with Menzies and took office as minister for health, remaining in this position until 1956. He lost his seat in Parliament in the 1961 election, and died shortly after, on Dec. 20, 1961, at Grafton.

Achievements

• The Canberra suburb of Page is named after him, as is the House of Representatives Division of Page.
  
  Earle Page College, a residential college of the University of New England, was founded in his honour, and is the venue for the Earle Page Annual Politics Dinner, which has had numerous prominent national and international guest lecturers.
  
  In 1957, a new building at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital was opened by Page and named the Page Chest Pavilion.
  
  In 1975 he was honored on a postage stamp bearing his portrait issued by Australia Post.

Politics

A founder and leader of the Country Party, Page held several ministerial posts and made many contributions to Australian federal government.

In 1922 and 1923, he was instrumental in the removal of William M. Hughes as Nationalist Party leader, and in 1923 formed a coalition government with Stanley M. Bruce, the new Nationalist leader, in which Page was treasurer and deputy prime minister.

From 1941 to 1942 Page represented Australia in the British War Cabinet and Pacific War Council in London.

Views

Quotations: "There is no music that can't be used politically, but the motives behind the creation of that music can be non-political. "

"It is not possible, given any degree of optimism and generosity in regard to people in general, to set a time limit on creative reflection or a limitation on the number of people involved in the creation. "

"What is a good performance? It lies in the hands and head of a performer. .. the shortest way between two people is not a straight line. "

Connections

Page married Ethel Blunt in 1906, and they had five children: a daughter Mary born in 1909 and four sons. Lady Page died at Elizabeth Bay in 1958.

On 20 July 1959 at St Paul's Cathedral, London, Page married his secretary, Jean Thomas who was 32 years his junior.

Father:

Charles Page

He father was a blacksmith and coach builder.

nephew:

Robert Page

He was an Australian soldier who was a member of Z Special Unit during the Second World War.

Second wife:

Jean Thomas

The second Lady Page, died on 20 June 2011, 60 years after her husbands demise.

Daughter:

Mary

She was born in 1909.

Son:

Donald

He was born in 1912.

Son:

Douglas

He was born in 1916.

Son:

Iven

He was born in 1914.

Son:

Charles

He was born in 1911.

Grandson:

Geoff Page

He is an Australian poet, translator, teacher and jazz enthusiast.

Grandson:

Don Page

He is an Australian politician, was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Ballina for the National Party of Australia from 1988 to 2015.

First wife:

Ethel Blunt

Lady Page died at Elizabeth Bay in 1958.