James Alexander Forrest Explained

Sir James Alexander Forrest (born in Kerang, Victoria on 10 March 1905 – deceased on 26 September 1990 in Malvern, Victoria) was an Australian lawyer, businessman and philanthropist.

Biography

Family

James Alexander Forrest was the third of five children of Scottish-born parents John Forrest and Mary Forrest, née Gray.[1]

He married Mary Christina Armit (1913–1995), the granddaughter of Sir Edward Fancourt Mitchell, on 9 December 1939[2] (or 1935[1]). They had three children: Alexander James "Alex" Forrest (1941–),[3] an engineer; William John "Bill" Forrest (1944-),[4] a solicitor; and Hugh David Forrest, an agricultural scientist.[5]

Education

Forrest was educated at Caulfield Grammar School in Melbourne; he attended there from 1920 to 1922.[6] [7]

In 1925, he started an articled clerk's course at the University of Melbourne; and, although this course of study did not lead to a law degree, it qualified the student as both a barrister and solicitor in Victoria. He was admitted to the Victorian Bar on 3 March 1930.[8] His admission was moved by both Robert Menzies and Wilfred Fullagar, and presided over by William Irvine, then the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria.

Career

Forrest became a prominent lawyer, specializing in corporate law. He was a partner at the firm of Hedderwicks Fookes & Alston, which later merged to become Allens Arthur Robinson.[9] His business grew thanks to his close ties with the Grimwade family, and he was eventually named a director of the Felton Grimwalde & Duerdins Ltd family holding.[1]

Jim Forrest was enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in June 1942, and discharged in September 1943.[10] He served as a Flight Lieutenant in RAAF Intelligence during his enlistment, and then worked for the Department of Aircraft Production.[11] [1]

Shortly after the war Forrest took up several board directorships of Australian companies :

From 1961 to 1971, he was a foundation member of the Council of Monash University. He was a board member of numerous charitable and educational bodies, including the Royal Children's Hospital, Scotch College, Scouts Australia, and an original member of the Victoria Law Foundation.

Recognition

A portrait of Forrest, painted by William Boissevain, and donated by Alcoa, now hangs in the National Portrait Gallery at the Old Parliament House.[13]

In 1977, The Australian Financial Review called him « one of the most dominant men among Australian company directors for a quarter of a century ».[1]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Forrest, Sir James Alexander (Jim) (1905–1990). Anu.edu.au. 2007. Terry Grigg. 24 March 2020.
  2. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224443580 Weddings of the Week, The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 16 December 1939), p.46.
  3. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/8225450 Births: Forrest, The Argus, (Thursday, 1 January 1942), p.2.
  4. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11802646 Births: Forrest, The Argus, (Thursday, 1 June 1944), p.2.
  5. https://digitised-collections.unimelb.edu.au/bitstream/handle/11343/23419/109204_UMC197228_Part%202%20Degrees%20and%20Diplomas%20Conferred.pdf?sequence=29 Degrees and Diplomas Conferred, 1971: Faculty of Agriculture: Bachelor of Agricultural Science, University of Melbourne, p.99.
  6. Weber (1981), p.292.
  7. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243504435 School Speech Night: Caulfield Grammar School: University Results, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Friday, 14 December 1923), p.10.
  8. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/202264863 About People, The Age, (Tuesday, 4 March 1930), p.9.
  9. Allens Arthur Robinson (2006). Our history. Retrieved 5 March 2006.
  10. Web site: World War Two Service: Veteran Details (256061). Dva.gov.au. 24 March 2020.
  11. Rogers, 1991.
  12. Australian Honours (2006). FORREST, James Alexander. Retrieved 12 June 2006.
  13. [John Howard]