Albert Ogilvie

Albert Ogilvie
Ogilvie in 1935
28thPremier of Tasmania
In office 22 June 1934 – 10 June 1939
Preceded by	SirWalter Lee
Succeeded by	Edmund Dwyer-Gray
Constituency	Franklin
Personal details
Born	(1890-03-10)10 March 1890 Hobart,Tasmania
Died	10 June 1939(1939-06-10)(aged 49) Warburton,Victoria,Australia
Political party	Labor Party
Spouse	Dorothy Hines
Alma mater	University of Tasmania

Albert George Ogilvie(10 March 1890 – 10 June 1939) was an Australian politician andPremier of Tasmaniafrom 22 June 1934 until his death on 10 June 1939.

Early life

Ogilvie in barrister's garb

Ogilvie was born on 10 March 1890 inHobart, Tasmania.His parents Kate (née McGee) and James Ogilvie were publicans who ran the Victoria Tavern in Hobart. His paternal grandfather had been transported to Australia as aconvict.

Ogilvie attendedBuckland's Schoolin Hobart before completing his secondary education in Victoria atSt Patrick's College, Ballarat.He graduatedBachelor of Lawsat theUniversity of Tasmaniain 1913 and was admitted to the bar the following year, serving his articles of clerkship withNorman Ewing.In August 1921 Ogilvie successfully defended George William King, who had been accused ofthe murder of Chrissie Venn.

Politics

Ogilvie was elected to theTasmanian House of Assemblyat the1919 state election,aged 29. He was re-elected to theDivision of Franklinon each subsequent election until his death.

In October 1923 he joined theLyonscabinet as attorney-general and minister for education, to which was added mines and forestry in March 1924. In this year he was made a King's Counsel (KC) and was then the youngest to hold that position in Australia. In 1927 he resigned from the Lyons government and sat as a private member, but was elected leader of the opposition when Lyons went into federal politics in 1929.

Premier

Ogilvie towards the end of his life

He became premier without portfolio of a Labor ministry on 21 June 1934, but although he had no special department he studied all legislation closely and worked early and late at his office. He was much interested in the health of the community and advocated hospital extensions, stressed the necessity for home defence training, and realising the difficulties of the smaller states, fought hard for Tasmania at loan council meetings.

Under his premiership, school fees were abolished, health care was improved and hospitals modernised, unemployment relief as increased, hydroelectric and papermaking development was accelerated, and housing loans were provided for the needy at minimal terms. Ogilvie also worked for the establishment of the newsprint industry in Tasmania, and instituted a superannuation fund for state officials. He twice visited England during his premiership, and was present at the silver jubilee celebrations ofGeorge Vin 1935, and thecoronation of George VI.

He gave great attention to financial problems, and though his financial theories did not meet with general acceptance, on the whole his administration established a feeling of confidence. In June 1939 he spent a week-end at Warburton, some miles fromMelbourne,being on his way to a loan council meeting atCanberra.He took ill while playing golf and died a few hours later on 10 June. He married Dorothy Hines who survived him with a daughter. The attorney-general in his cabinet, E. J. Ogilvie, was a brother.

Legacy

The former New Town Commercial High School was renamedOgilvie High School,in honour of the former premier, in 1940.

Family

A brotherEric James Ogilvie,served as a member of parliament at the same time Albert was premier of Tasmania.Madeleine Ogilvie,granddaughter of Eric and great-niece of Albert, was elected to the House of Assembly for the seat ofDivision of Denisonin 2014.

Sources

• Ross McMullin, The Light on the Hill: The Australian Labor Party 1891-1991
• Serle, Percival(1949)."Ogilvie, Albert".Dictionary of Australian Biography.Sydney:Angus & Robertson.
• "Ogilvie, Albert".Members of theParliament of Tasmania.Retrieved24 July2022.

Further reading

• Briggs, John F. (2016).Scourge of the Establishment: Albert Ogilvie and Tasmanian Society, 1890-1939(M.Hist. thesis). University of Tasmania.
• Roe, Michael (2008).Albert Ogilvie and Stymie Gaha: World-Wise Tasmanians.Parliament of Tasmania.ISBN9780646491233.