Charles Marr Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Sir Charles Marr
Office:Minister for Repatriation
Primeminister:Joseph Lyons
Term Start:12 April 1932
Term End:12 October 1934
Predecessor:Charles Hawker
Successor:Billy Hughes
Office2:Minister for Health
Primeminister2:Joseph Lyons
Term Start2:6 January 1932
Term End2:12 October 1934
Predecessor2:John McNeill
Successor2:Billy Hughes
Office3:Minister for Works and Railways
Primeminister3:Joseph Lyons
Term Start3:6 January 1932
Term End3:12 April 1932
Predecessor3:Albert Green
Successor3:Abolished
Office4:Minister for Home and Territories
Primeminister4:Stanley Bruce
Term Start4:2 April 1927
Term End4:24 February 1928
Predecessor4:William Glasgow
Successor4:Neville Howse
Constituency Mp5:Parkes
Parliament5:Australian
Predecessor5:Edward McTiernan
Successor5:Les Haylen
Term Start5:31 January 1931
Term End5:21 August 1943
Predecessor6:Bruce Smith
Successor6:Edward McTiernan
Term Start6:13 December 1919
Term End6:12 October 1929
Birth Date:1880 3, df=yes
Birth Place:Petersham, New South Wales, Australia
Death Place:Pymble, New South Wales, Australia
Spouse:Ethel May Ritchie
Party:Nationalist (to 1931)
UAP (from 1931)
Education:Newington College
Sydney Technical College
Occupation:Electrical engineer
Allegiance:Australia
Branch:Australian Army
Serviceyears:1898–c.1920s
Rank:Major
Battles:First World War
Mawards:Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Distinguished Service Order
Military Cross
Mentioned in Despatches (2)

Sir Charles William Clanan Marr (23 March 1880 – 20 October 1960) was an Australian politician, engineer and soldier. He was a member of cabinet under prime ministers Stanley Bruce and Joseph Lyons, serving as Minister for Home and Territories (1927–1928), Works and Railways (1932), Health (1932–1934), and Repatriation (1932–1934). He was a member of the House of Representatives for over 20 years, representing the New South Wales seat of Parkes (1919–1929, 1931–1943). Prior to entering politics he was an officer with the Australian Imperial Force during World War I, winning the Distinguished Service Order and Military Cross for his service on the Mesopotamian campaign.

Early life and military career

Marr was born on 23 March 1880 in Petersham, New South Wales, the son of Ellen (née Nilson) and James Clanan Marr. His mother was born in Ireland and his father, a bootmaker, was born in Hobart. Marr was educated at Fort Street Model School, Newington College (1895)[1] and Sydney Technical College, graduating as an electrical engineer. He joined the state Postmaster-General's Department and transferred to the federal Postmaster-General's Department in 1901. He married Ethel May Ritchie in September 1905. He took an early interest in radio broadcasting and developed this interest while in military service with the first Australian Imperial Force during World War I in Mesopotamia. He received a Military Cross in 1917 and a Distinguished Service Order in 1918.

Political career

Marr commenced his political career by winning the Nationalist Party endorsement for the seat of Parkes from the incumbent Bruce Smith, and easily won the seat in the 1919 general election.

In October 1927, he urged the Australian parliament not to highlight the past mistreatment of indigenous Australians, in order to preserve the White Australia policy:[2]

In 1929, as an honorary minister in the Bruce–Page government, Marr was sent to represent Australia at the League of Nations. On the journey to Europe he developed a friendship with Amanullah Khan, the recently deposed king of Afghanistan; they conversed in French. He subsequently gave an account of their meetings to an Australian correspondent.[3]

Marr lost the seat of Parkes to Edward McTiernan at the 1929 federal election. However, he regained Parkes at a 1931 by-election when McTiernan resigned to join the High Court of Australia and held the seat until 1943, initially as a Nationalist and later as a member of the United Australia Party. Marr held a number of cabinet posts in the Bruce and Lyons governments, including Home and Territories, Works and Railways, Health and Repatriation.

Personal life

Marr died in the Sydney suburb of Pymble, survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters. He was made a knight of the Royal Victorian Order in 1934 for his role in organising the Australian tour of the Duke of Gloucester.

Notes and References

  1. Newington College Register of Past Students 1863–1998 (Syd, 1999) pp. 126
  2. Web site: The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia and Indigenous Peoples 1901–1967 . 6 January 2008 . John Summers . 31 October 2000 . Research Paper 10 2000–01 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071223133412/http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rp/2000-01/01RP10.htm . 23 December 2007.
  3. News: Mr. Marr meets Amanullah. The Herald. 9 July 1929.