Charles North (politician)

The Honourable Charles North MLA
13th Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
In office 31 July 1947 – 5 August 1953
Premier	Ross McLarty Albert Hawke
Preceded by	Joseph Sleeman
Succeeded by	Aloysius Rodoreda
Member of the Western Australian Parliament for Claremont
In office 1924–1945
Preceded by	John Thomson
Succeeded by	Harold Cromellin
Personal details
Born	14 September 1887(1887-09-14) Perth, Western Australia
Died	30 September 1979(1979-09-30) Perth, Western Australia
Political party	Nationalist Party Liberal Party
Alma mater	Oriel College, University of Oxford
Profession	Lawyer

Charles Frederic North^{[nb 1]} (born 14 September 1887, in Perth, Western Australia; died 30 September 1979, in Perth, Western Australia) was an Australian soldier, lawyer and politician. He served as the Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1947 to 1953.

Early life

North was born on 14 September 1887, in Perth, Western Australia, to Frederic Dudley North and Flora Frances Hamersley. On his father's side he was a descendant of the Barons North and a great-grandson of the Scottish artist Sir Francis Grant. His mother was the daughter of Edward Hamersley II, a member of the pioneering Hamersley family of Western Australia.^[1]

Education and military service

North attended Hale School in Perth, before being sent to England to continue his education at Rugby School. He studied law at Oriel College, Oxford, graduating in 1909 with a Bachelor of Arts.^[2] He was also a member of the college eight for three years. North was called to the Bar as part of the Middle Temple in 1912.^[1]

North served as a captain in the No. 16 Squadron RAF in World War I, as an observer-air gunner.^[1]

Political career

North returned to Western Australia after the conclusion of the war, where he practised as a solicitor in Perth. In 1916, he married Bessie Saddington, with whom he had two daughters: Muriel Elvia Joan North (born 10 July 1917) and Rachel Mary June North (born 17 April 1930).^[2] He was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly in 1923 as the Member for Claremont. He served as Mayor of the Municipality of Cottesloe from 1923–24. He served as whip of the Nationalist Party in 1933. North also served as president of the Cottesloe sub-branch of the Returned and Services League (RSL), and as patron of the Claremont Football Club and North Cottesloe Surf Life-saving Club.^[3]

In July 1947, he was appointed Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, a role in which he served until 1953.^[3] North retired from politics in 1956.

Decorations

North received the Silver Jubilee Medal of King George V in 1935 and the Coronation Medal of King George VI in 1937.^[2]

Notes

1. ^ Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition give his full name as "Charles Frederick John North", but most contemporary sources use "Charles Frederic".

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} North, Charles Frederic (1887–1979) – Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
2. ^ ^{a b c} Charles Frederick John North – thepeerage.com. Last updated 21 July 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
3. ^ ^{a b} "ELECTION OF SPEAKER. Mr. C. F. J. North Takes Office." – The West Australian. Published 1 August 1947. Retrieved from Trove, 19 September 2011.

Political offices
Preceded by Joseph Sleeman	Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly 1947–53	Succeeded by Aloysius Rodoreda