Sir Frederick Widdowson Doidge (26 February 1884 - 26 May 1954) was a journalist in New Zealand and England, then a National Party member in the New Zealand House of Representatives.
Doidge was born in Cootamundra, New South Wales, Australia. His father, Edwin Doidge, was a journalist in Thames, New Zealand, and founded the Cootamundra Liberal in August 1882 in competition with the Cootamundra Herald. Frederick Doidge received his training as a journalist from his father. Doidge came to New Zealand in 1902.
In the 1935 election, Doidge ran as an Independent in the electorate after having had a brief encounter with the anti-Labour New Zealand Democrat Party. Of the four candidates, he came second after Labour's Alexander Moncur.[1] The next year he ran as the new National Party's candidate in the 1936 Manukau by-election, becoming the first National candidate to run for election in history. He was defeated by Labour candidate Arthur Osborne.[2]
Doidge then represented the electorate of Tauranga for National from 1938 to 1951, when he retired.[3]
He served as both Minister of External Affairs and Minister of Island Territories from 1950 to 1951 in the First National Government of New Zealand.[4] Later, Doidge became New Zealand's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1951 until his death. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1953 New Year Honours,[5] and awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.[6]
Doidge died in London on 26 May 1954 from cancer.