John McEwen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rt. Hon. Sir John McEwen
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| 18th Prime Minister of Australia | |
| In office 19 December 1967 – 10 January 1968 |
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| Preceded by | Harold Holt |
| Succeeded by | John Gorton |
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| Born | 200px 29 March 1900 Chiltern, Victoria, Australia |
| Died | 20 November 1980 (aged 80) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Resting place | 200px |
| Political party | Country |
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Sir John McEwen (born 29 March 1900, died 20 November 1980) was an important Australian politician. He served as the 18th Prime Minister of Australia for a short time. This was from 19 December 1967 to 10 January 1968. He took on this role after the previous Prime Minister, Harold Holt, went missing. Sir John McEwen was also the leader of the Country Party from 1958 to 1971.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Sir John McEwen was born in a town called Chiltern, Victoria. When he was seven years old, he sadly lost both of his parents. His grandmother then raised him. They lived first in Wangaratta and later in Dandenong.
McEwen left school when he was 13 years old. At 18, he joined the Australian Army. However, World War I ended before he had to go overseas. Because he joined the army, he was able to get land through a special program. This program helped soldiers start farms. He chose a property in Stanhope. There, he first started a dairy farm. Later, he bought a bigger property and began raising beef cattle.
His Journey in Politics
John McEwen tried several times to get elected to parliament. Finally, he won a seat in the House of Representatives in the 1934 federal election. This was the start of his long political career.
In 1937, he was first made a minister in the government by Prime Minister Joseph Lyons. McEwen became the second-in-command of the Country Party in 1940. He worked under the party leader, Arthur Fadden. In 1958, McEwen took over from Fadden and became the leader of the Country Party. He stayed in this important role until he retired from politics in 1971.
McEwen served in parliament for a total of 36 years. He spent an amazing 25 years as a government minister. This is a record for an Australian politician.
Becoming Prime Minister
The Coalition government, which included McEwen's Country Party, came back to power in 1949. First, Robert Menzies was Prime Minister, and then Harold Holt. McEwen became very important in shaping Australia's economic rules. He especially focused on farming, manufacturing, and trade.
In December 1967, Prime Minister Harold Holt died while in office. John McEwen was then asked to become the temporary Prime Minister. He held this position while the Liberal Party chose their new leader. At 67 years old, he was the oldest person to become Prime Minister at that time. He was also only the third Prime Minister from the Country Party.
After 23 days, McEwen handed over power to John Gorton. To thank him for his service, he was given the new official title of Deputy Prime Minister.
McEwen retired from politics in 1971. By then, he had served for 36 years and 5 months. For 34 of those years, he was either a minister or a senior member of the opposition. He was the last politician still serving who had been in parliament during the time of the Great Depression.
Awards and Recognitions
Sir John McEwen received several special awards for his service. In 1969, he was given the Companion of Honour (CH). After he retired from politics in 1971, he was knighted. This made him a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG).
The government of Japan also honored him in 1973. They gave him the Grand Cordon, Order of the Rising Sun.
Personal Life
On 21 September 1921, John McEwen married Anne Mills McLeod. They did not have any children. In 1966, his wife, Anne, was also given a special honor. She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). Sadly, Dame Anne McEwen passed away on 10 February 1967 after being ill for a long time.
When McEwen became Prime Minister in December of that year, he was a widower. This meant he was the first Australian Prime Minister who was not married while in office.
On 26 July 1968, McEwen married Mary Eileen Byrne. After he retired, he mostly stayed away from politics. He did some consulting work and traveled to Japan and South Africa. He did not have any children from either of his marriages.
McEwen had a skin condition called dermatitis for most of his life. The pain became very difficult in his later years. He passed away on 20 November 1980, at the age of 80.
Images for kids
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McEwen's birthplace, located at 73 Main Street, Chiltern, Victoria
See also
In Spanish: John McEwen para niños
