www.monumentaustralia.org.au

John CurtinPrint Page Print this page

17-April-2014
17-April-2014

Photographs supplied by Graeme Saunders

The statue commemorates the former Prime Minister of Australia and member for Fremantle, John Curtin. 

John Curtin is widely considered to be one of Australia’s greatest ever Prime Ministers due to his inspiring national leadership during the Second World War. Curtin was born at Creswick, Victoria on 8 January 1885, the eldest son of Irish immigrants. He left school at 13 to help support his family and worked in a variety of jobs before moving to Western Australia in February 1917 as editor of the Westralian Worker.

He first entered the Commonwealth Parliament in 1928 as member for Fremantle. In 1935 he was elected Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Labour Party. On 7 October 1941, two months before the attack on Pearl Harbour, he became Prime Minister of Australia. As wartime Prime Minister following the fall of Singapore and the bombing of numerous Australian towns, he guided the nation through the darkest hours of war. On 5 July 1945 John Curtin, the only Australian Prime Minister to represent Western Australian electorate, died in office six weeks before the end of the war.

Location

Address:William & Adelaide Streets , Kings Square, Fremantle, 6160
State:WA
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -32.054099
Long: 115.747886
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
View Google Map

Details

Monument Type:Sculpture
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Government - Federal
Artist:Joan Walsh-Smith & Charles Smith (Gidgegannup, WA)

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Sunday 14th August, 2005
Front Inscription

John Curtin MP
1885 - 1945

Prime Minister of Australia
1941 - 1945

Member for Fremantle
1928 - 1931, 1934 - 1945

Left Side Inscription

This statue was unveiled by the Premier of Western Australia Dr Geoff Gallop MLA on 14th August 2005

Sculpture by Joan Walsh-Smith and Charles Smith

Right Side Inscription

John Curtin is widely considered to be one of Australia’s greatest ever Prime Ministers due to his inspiring national leadership during the Second World War.

Curtin was born in Creswick, Victoria on 8 January 1885, the eldest son of Irish immigrants. He left school at 13 to help support his family and worked in a variety of jobs before moving to Western Australia in February 1917 as editor of the Westralian Worker.

Curtin married Elsie Needham and lived in Cottesloe with his wife and their two children.He first entered the Commonwealth Parliament in 1928 as member for Fremantle. In 1935 Curtin was elected Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Labour Party.

On 7 October 1941, two months before the attack on Pearl Harbour, Curtin became Prime Minister of Australia. As wartime Prime Minister following the fall of Singapore and the bombing of numerous Australian towns, he guided the nation through the darkest hours of the war.

On 5 July 1945 John Curtin, the only Australian Prime Minister to represent a West Australian electorate, died in office six weeks before the end of the war. He is buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.

Source: MA, ACPH
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au