James Menzies (Australian politician)

James Menzies (9 August 1862 – 1 November 1945) was an Australian politician representing the electoral district of Lowan in the Victorian Legislative Assembly between 1911 and 1920 for the Nationalist Party of Australia. He was the brother of Hugh Menzies and father of Sir Robert Menzies, the 12th and longest serving Prime Minister of Australia.^[1]

Biography

Menzies was born in Ballarat West, Victoria to emigrant parents Robert and Elizabeth of Scotland. Before entering state politics, Menzies was a coach painter and storekeeper as well as a long serving Councillor for the Shire of Dimboola in the Wimmera region of western Victoria.^[2] Following a change in the economy, he moved to Jeparit in Victoria, where he became trustee and lay preacher at the Methodist Church before entering state parliament representing the Commonwealth Liberal Party in Lowan.

After losing his seat of Lowan at the 1920 Victorian state election, Menzies moved to the Melbourne suburb of Kew where he worked as a statistical officer for BHP and as chairman of the Menzies Home for Boy's in Frankston. Menzies also served as a member of the Council of Agricultural Education from 1917 to 1945. He died on 1 November 1945 at the age of 83 at his 65 Wellington Street home in Kew, Victoria. His funeral was held at Kew Presbyterian Church and he was buried at Box Hill Cemetery.^[3] His wife, Kate Menzies (née Sampson) died aged 80 on 30 June 1946 and was interred beside her husband. Prime Minister Ben Chifley sent a telegram of condolence to the Menzies family. ^[4]

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