Ewan Murray Robson

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The Hon. Lieutenant Colonel Ewan Murray Robson DSO CBE (7 March 1906 - 26 August 1974) was an Australian lawyer, soldier and parliamentarian. [1]

Contents

[edit] Birth & education

Robson was born in Ashfield, Sydney, the second son of The Hon. William Robson. He was educated at Newington College and gained a law degree (B.A., 1927; LL.B., 1930) at the University of Sydney [2] whilst a resident of St. Paul's College, Sydney

[edit] Early career

Robson was amitted as a solicitor in 1930 and practised with his father and fellow Old Newingtonians at Robson & Cowlishaw. He married Lesley Alison Martin in 1931 at St Stephen's Presbyterian Church, Sydney. In 1931, he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the seat of Vaucluse. He was the third generation of his family to serve in the NSW Parliament.

[edit] Military career

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Robson enlisted as a Lieutenant in the Militia, and in the field, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, received the Distinguished Service Order, and was mentioned in despatches three times. He accepted the Japanese surrender of Major General Uno at Bandjermasin.

[edit] Post war career

During war service Robson's marriage failed and his wife divorced him in 1947. He married Naomi Priscilla Other Gee at St Peter's Anglican Church, Watsons Bay in 1950. At the end of the war, he was re-elected to State Parliament, and in 1954, was elected state opposition leader for the Liberal Party of New South Wales. [3] In 1957, he left politics and returned to the law. He was appointed a Commander of the British Empire in 1966, and died of a heart attack at home in Rose Bay, New South Wales.

[edit] Bibliography

  • K. West, Power in the Liberal Party (Melb, 1965)
  • D. Clune, The New South Wales State Election, 1941 (Syd, 1995)
  • F. Frost, The New South Wales State Election, 1956 (Syd, 1999)
  • Parliamentary Debates (New South Wales), 27 Aug 1974, p 638
  • Australian Quarterly, Dec 1961
  • Sydney Morning Herald, 21 Sept 1955, 27 July 1957, 1 Jan 1966
  • The Sun-Herald, 28 July 1957

[edit] References

  1. ^ Hogan, Michael. Robson, Ewan Murray (1906 - 1974). Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. Retrieved on 2008-04-20.
  2. ^ Alumni Sydneienses
  3. ^ The Hon. Ewan Murray Robson (1906 - 1974). Members of Parliament. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved on 2007-05-03.