John McDonald (Victorian politician)

Sir John McDonald
37th Premier of Victoria
In office
27 June 1950 – 28 October 1952
DeputyKeith Dodgshun 1950–1952
Alexander Dennett 1952
Keith Dodgshun 1952
Preceded byThomas Hollway
Succeeded byThomas Hollway
In office
31 October 1952 – 17 December 1952
Preceded byThomas Hollway
Succeeded byJohn Cain
12th Deputy Premier of Victoria
In office
20 November 1947 – 3 December 1948
PremierThomas Hollway
Preceded byFrank Field
Succeeded byWilfrid Kent Hughes
Councillor of the Shire of Shepparton for West Riding
In office
1928–1929
Personal details
Born
John Gladstone Black McDonald

(1898-12-06)6 December 1898
Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
Died23 April 1977(1977-04-23) (aged 78)
Mooroopna, Victoria, Australia
NationalityAustralian
Political partyCountry Party
SpouseMary Cosser Trotter
OccupationOrchardist
Military service
AllegianceAustralia
Branch/serviceAustralian Imperial Force
Years of service1916–1918
RankPrivate
Unit37th Battalion

Sir John Gladstone Black McDonald (6 December 1898 – 23 April 1977) was 37th Premier of Victoria (leading the Country Party) from 27 June 1950 to 17 December 1952, except for a few days in October 1952 when Thomas Hollway led a brief Electoral Reform League government. McDonald came to office by defeating Hollway's Liberals, but was himself vanquished by the Labor Party under John Cain in 1952.

McDonald was also Deputy Premier of Victoria from November 1947 to December 1948 under Premier Thomas Hollway.

McDonald was President of the Goulburn Valley Second Eighteens Football Association from 1927 to 1933.

Early life

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McDonald was born in Falkirk, Scotland, the son of a grocer, and was educated at Carmuirs School. After the death of his father, McDonald and his family emigrated to Australia in 1912 and settled in Shepparton, Victoria where they ran a dairy farm.[1]

On 4 March 1916, McDonald (who was 17 at the time) enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force during World War I, in which he served with the 37th Battalion[2] on the Western Front.[1]

Early political career

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McDonald was elected to the Shepparton Shire Council in 1928.[1] During his time on the council, he often clashed with other councillors. In July 1929, after only serving twelve months on the council, he announced that he would not seek reelection for a second term in office.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Costar, B. J., "Sir John Gladstone Black (Jack) McDonald (1898–1977)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 20 December 2024
  2. ^ First World War Nominal Roll Page - AWM133, 34-099, Australian War Memorial; accessed 11 June 2017.
  3. ^ "WESTERN RIDING CR. J. G. B. MCDONALD WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION". Shepparton Advertiser. 11 July 1929. p. 5. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
Victorian Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Member for Goulburn Valley
1936–1945
Seat abolished
Seat created Member for Shepparton
1945–1955
Seat abolished
Political offices
Preceded by Premier of Victoria
1950–1952
Succeeded by
Preceded by Premier of Victoria
1952
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Country Party in Victoria
1945–1955
Succeeded by