John Grey GORTON Born: 9 September 1911, Wellington, New Zealand Education: Geelong Grammar (192730); Brasenose College, Oxford (193235) Employment: orchardist Memberships: Royal Australian Air Force (194044 ); Melbourne Club; Freemasons Marriage: 15 February 1935, St Giles Church, Oxford, England, (and on 24 July 1993 to Nancy Home in Sydney) Children: Joanna (1937); Michael (1938); Robin (1941) Died: 19 May 2002, Darlinghurst, Sydney Honours: Privy Councillor (1968); Companion of Honour June (1971); GCMG (1977)
Bettina Edith GORTON (nιe BROWN) Born: c1916 Maine, United States Died: 2 October 1983 |
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Term as PM: 10 January 1968 10 March 1971 Terms as MP:
Senate: 22 February 1950 1 February 1968
House of Representatives: 1 March 1968 13 December 1975 (Higgins) Portfolios:
Minister for the Navy: 10 December 1958 18 December 1963
Minister Assisting the Minister for External Affairs: 23 March 1960 18 December 1963
Minister-in-charge of Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation: 16 February 1962 18 December 1963
Minister for the Interior: 18 December 1963 4 March 1964
Minister for Works: 18 December 1963 28 February 1967
Minister-in-charge of Commonwealth Activities in Education and Research under the Prime Minister: 18 December 1963 14 December 1966
Minister for Education and Science: 14 December 1966 28 February 1968
Minister for Defence: 10 March 13 August 1971 Memberships: Country Party; Liberal Country Party; Liberal Party of Australia (1949 24 May 1975) |
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- Gorton was at school with filmstar Errol Flynn at Shore (192426) and painter Russell Drysdale at Geelong Grammar (192730)
- at Geelong Grammar the lanky and casual Gorton was nicknamed Droop
- Gorton is the only PM sworn in while still a Senator
- for three weeks in February 1968, Gorton was PM but had no seat in parliament
- American Bettina Gorton was the only prime ministerial wife who was a citizen of another country
- Gorton was the second longest-lived PM, behind Frank Forde who died aged at 92
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