Robert Cosgrove facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Robert Cosgrove
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| 30th Premier of Tasmania | |
| In office 25 February 1948 – 26 August 1958 |
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| Governor | Sir Hugh Binney Sir Ronald Cross |
| Preceded by | Edward Brooker |
| Succeeded by | Eric Reece |
| In office 18 December 1939 – 18 December 1947 |
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| Governor | Sir Ernest Clark Sir Hugh Binney |
| Preceded by | Edmund Dwyer-Gray |
| Succeeded by | Edward Brooker |
| Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly for Denison | |
| In office 9 June 1934 – 25 August 1958 |
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| In office 3 June 1925 – 9 May 1931 |
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| In office 31 May 1919 – 10 June 1922 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 December 1884 Tea Tree, Tasmania, Australia |
| Died | 25 August 1969 (aged 84) Hobart, Tasmania, Australia |
| Political party | Labor |
| Spouse |
Gertrude Geappen
(m. 1911–1962) |
Sir Robert Cosgrove (born 28 December 1884, died 25 August 1969) was a very important Australian politician. He was the 30th and longest-serving Premier of Tasmania. A Premier is like the leader of a state government. Sir Robert held this top job for over 18 years, from 1939 to 1947 and again from 1948 to 1958. He was involved in state politics for five decades and was a strong leader in the Tasmanian Labor Party for a long time.
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Early Life of Robert Cosgrove
Robert Cosgrove was born in Tea Tree, a small country area near Brighton, Tasmania. He was the fourth of eight children. His father was from Ireland. Robert went to state schools in Campania, Sorell, and Richmond. He finished his schooling at St Mary's College, Hobart.
Before he became a politician, Robert worked as a grocer. He was also involved in unions, which are groups that help workers. He lived in Wellington, New Zealand, for a few years and was part of a local workers' council there.
Robert Cosgrove's Political Career
Robert Cosgrove first tried to become a politician in 1916 but didn't win. He was then elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly in 1919. The House of Assembly is like the state parliament. He represented the area called Denison.
He lost his seat in 1922 but was elected again in 1925. He lost again in 1931 but won back his seat in 1934. After that, he kept his seat until he retired in 1958.
Robert Cosgrove was also the state president of the Labor Party's organisation. He was also the whip for the parliamentary party. In 1934, he became a minister in the government under Albert Ogilvie. He was in charge of things like agriculture and forests. He made changes to the Department of Agriculture and was well-liked in country areas.
Robert Cosgrove as Premier of Tasmania
When the Premier, Albert Ogilvie, sadly died in 1939, Edmund Dwyer-Gray became the new Labor leader and Premier. It was agreed that he would only serve for six months. Robert Cosgrove became his deputy. He was also the state treasurer until December 1939. After that, he swapped jobs with Dwyer-Gray and became Premier.
During World War II, Premier Cosgrove worked closely with the Australian federal government. He especially worked well with Prime Ministers John Curtin and Ben Chifley. Unlike some other state leaders, he was willing to let the federal government have more power during the war. Because of this, Tasmania received good support and money from the federal government.
He was also the minister in charge of the Hydro-Electric Commission for 16 years. This commission manages Tasmania's hydro-electric power. In 1948, he also became the Minister for Education. He started a big program to build many new schools.
In the 1941 state election, Premier Cosgrove led his Labor Party to a big win. They won 20 out of 30 seats. However, in later elections, his party only won by a small number of seats. Sometimes, he even had to lead a minority government. This means his party didn't have a clear majority of seats. They needed support from other politicians to pass laws.
In 1947, for a short time, Sir Robert stepped down as Premier while a serious issue was being looked into. His friend Edward Brooker took over as Premier. When the issue was resolved and Sir Robert was cleared, he returned to his role as Premier in February 1948. He then made Brooker his Treasurer.
In 1955, the Labor Party had a big split across Australia. But Sir Robert was able to stop many people in Tasmania from leaving the party.
Sir Robert Cosgrove became unwell in July 1958. He retired as Premier on 25 August 1958, when he was 73 years old. His deputy, Eric Reece, took over and kept the Labor Party in power for many more years. Sir Robert was Premier for 18 years and six months. This is the longest time anyone has served as Premier in Tasmania's history! In 1959, he was given a special honour and became a Knight Commander.
Other Activities and Interests
Besides politics, Robert Cosgrove was involved in many other things. He was the chairman of the Tasmanian Tourist Council. He also led the Southern Tasmanian Trotting Association, which is about horse racing.
He was a member of the council for the University of Tasmania. He was also part of the local branch of the St Vincent de Paul Society, which helps people in need. He was also the president of the Royal Hobart Golf Club. After leaving politics, he worked as chairman for a real estate company.
Robert Cosgrove's Family Life
Robert Cosgrove married Gertrude Ann Geappen in 1911. They were married until Gertrude passed away in 1962. They had four children together. Sadly, one of their sons was killed during World War II. Another son, Henry Cosgrove, became a judge in Tasmania.
Sir Robert Cosgrove passed away in Hobart on 25 August 1969. He was given a special state funeral and was buried at Cornelian Bay Cemetery.
