Biographical entry Calwell, Arthur Augustus (1896 - 1973)

Summary

Born on the 28 August 1896 in West Melbourne, Arthur Albert Calwell entered the Victorian Public Service in 1913 as a clerk in the Department of Agriculture and later, in 1923, in the Treasury. Appointed Honorary Secretary of the State Service Clerical Association, Calwell was also the foundation president of the restructured Australian Public Service Association (Victorian Branch). In 1940, Calwell was endorsed by the Labor Party (ALP) for the seat of Melbourne which he won in that year's election. Calwell was then elected to lead the ALP in 1960 but failed to overcome the Menzies Government in the polls. Succeeded by Whitlam as leader of the Opposition in 1967, Calwell retired after his party's win in the 1972 election. Arthur Calwell died on 8 July 1973.

Archival resources

State Library of Victoria, Australian Manuscripts Collection

• Samuel Merrifield - Papers, ca. 1858-ca. 1977, c. 1858 - c. 1977, MS 13045; State Library of Victoria, Australian Manuscripts Collection. Details

University of Wollongong Archives

• Colm Patrick Kiernan Papers, 1974 - 1976, D136; University of Wollongong Archives. Details

Published resources

Book Sections

• Freudenberg, Graham, 'Calwell, Arthur Augustus', in John Ritchie (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 13, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1993, pp. 341-345. Details

Online Resources

• 'Primary description of person CP 82 - The Rt Hon Arthur Augustus Calwell PC, KCSG', in RecordSearch, National Archives of Australia, http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/SearchOld.asp?Number=CP+82. Details

See also

• Australia's Prime Ministers, National Archives of Australia, http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/. Details