John Cramer (Australian politician)

The Honourable Sir John Cramer
Member of the Australian Parliament for Bennelong
In office 10 December 1949 – 11 April 1974
Preceded by	Division created
Succeeded by	John Howard
Personal details
Born	18 February 1896(1896-02-18)
Died	18 May 1994(1994-05-18) (aged 98)
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Dame Mary Therese Cramer (died 1984); four children
Occupation	Local politician

Sir John Oscar Cramer (18 February 1896 – 18 May 1994) was an Australian politician, representing the Liberal Party of Australia, of which he was a founding member.

John Cramer was elected as Mayor of North Sydney in 1939. Later he was Chairman of the Sydney County Council. He was elected to the House of Representatives as the inaugural representative of the seat of Bennelong on its creation in 1949. In 1956, the Prime Minister Robert Menzies appointed him Minister for the Army, a portfolio he held until 1963.^[1]

In 1964 he was created a Knight Bachelor.^[2] He retired from parliament before the 1974 election, and was succeeded by John Howard (later to become Prime Minister). He died on 18 May 1994, aged 98.

Personal life

In 1922 he married Mary Therese Earls, a teacher, charity worker and community activist. The couple had four children. In 1939 she assumed the duties of lady mayoress of North Sydney. She later organised a Voluntary Aid Detachment for North Sydney at the beginning of World War II, as well as the first group of the Women's Australian National Service in Sydney and became its first commandant (see biography for Dame Mary Cramer). For these services to Australia she was created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1971.

Dame Mary Cramer died on 23 September 1984 (age unknown).^[3]

Writings

• Cramer, John (1989). Pioneers, politics and people : a political memoir. Sydney: Allen & Unwin. pp. 231. ISBN 0044421044. 

References

1. ^ "The Hon John Howard MP, Member for Bennelong (NSW), First Speech To Parliament". Hansard. Parliament of Australia. 26 September 1974. http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/firstspeech.asp?id=ZD4. Retrieved 2007-08-28. 
2. ^ "Cramer, John Oscar". Its an Honour. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1083248&search_type=simple&showInd=true. Retrieved 2007-08-28. 
3. ^ "Cramer, Dame Mary Therese". Australian Women. National Foundation for Australian Women. http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/IMP0023b.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-28. 

Political offices
Preceded by Eric Harrison	Minister for the Army 1956 – 1963	Succeeded by James Forbes
Parliament of Australia
New title	Member for Bennelong 1949–1974	Succeeded by John Howard

Persondata
Name	Cramer, John Oscar
Alternative names
Short description	Australian politician
Date of birth	18 February 1896
Place of birth
Date of death	18 May 1994
Place of death