Charles Latham

The Honourable Sir Charles Latham MP, MLC
Latham in the 1940s
10th President of the Western Australian Legislative Council
In office 7 July 1958 – 21 May 1960
Preceded by	Anthony Loton
Succeeded by	Leslie Diver
Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council
In office 22 May 1950 – 21 May 1960
Preceded by	Les Logan
Succeeded by	Norm Baxter
Constituency	Central Province
In office 14 December 1946 – 21 May 1950
Preceded by	Vernon Hamersley
Succeeded by	Electorate abolished
Constituency	East Province
8th Leader of the Opposition in Western Australia
In office 25 April 1933 – 7 October 1942
Monarch	George V Edward VIII George VI
Deputy	Norbert Keenan Ross McDonald
Lieutenant-Governor	John Northmore (1931–1933)[a]
Preceded by	Philip Collier
Succeeded by	Arthur Watts
Leader of the Country Party in Western Australia
In office 17 April 1930 – 7 October 1942
Deputy	John Lindsay Percy Ferguson
Preceded by	Alec Thomson
Succeeded by	Arthur Watts
Deputy Leader of the Country Party in Western Australia
In office 21 November 1928 – 17 April 1930
Leader	Alec Thomson
Preceded by	Bertie Johnston
Succeeded by	John Lindsay
Ministerial positions Minister for Agriculture In office 3 January 1952 – 23 February 1953 Premier Ross McLarty Preceded by Garnet Wood Succeeded by Ernest Hoar Minister for Lands In office 24 April 1930 – 24 April 1933 Premier James Mitchell Preceded by Frank Troy Succeeded by Frank Troy Minister for Immigration In office 24 April 1930 – 24 April 1933 Premier James Mitchell Preceded by Frank Troy Succeeded by Frank Troy Minister for Health In office 24 April 1930 – 24 April 1933 Premier James Mitchell Preceded by Selby Munsie Succeeded by Selby Munsie
Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for York
In office 12 March 1921 – 7 October 1942
Preceded by	Harry Griffiths
Succeeded by	Charles Perkins
Federal politics Senator for Western Australia Appointed In office 8 October 1942 – 20 August 1943 Preceded by Bertie Johnston Succeeded by Dorothy Tangney
Personal details
Born	Charles George Latham 26 January 1882 Hythe, Kent, England, UK
Died	27 August 1968(1968-08-27) (aged 86) South Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Resting place	Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia
Citizenship	British Australian
Nationality	English Australian
Political party	Country
Spouse(s)	Marie Louisa von Allwörden ​ ​ (m. 1903)​
Children	2
Residence	Hythe Farm, East Kumminin, Western Australia
Military service
Allegiance	Australia
Branch/service	Australian Army
Years of service	1916–1919
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	First Australian Imperial Force
Commands	16th Battalion
Battles/wars	World War I  • Passchendaele Polygon Wood  • St Quentin Canal

Sir Charles George Latham (26 January 1882 – 26 August 1968), often shortened to simply C. G. Latham, was an Australian politician,^[1] former leader of the opposition in Western Australia and the 10th President of the Western Australian Legislative Council. Latham served over twelve years as leader of the state's Country Party, and over thirty years in the Parliament of Western Australia. Latham also served roughly ten months in the Federal Parliament, as a Senator for Western Australia.

Biography[]

Latham was born in Hythe, Kent in England, and became an orphan before the age of 8 when his parents Thomas Latham (a coast guard) and Isabella (née Isum) died. Latham moved to New South Wales in Australia with his siblings in 1890 and married Marie Louisa von Allwörden on 24 June 1903 at Hay in the same state.^[1]

In 1910, Latham moved to Western Australia to take up 1,000 acres (4.0 km²) of land at East Kumminin (now Narembeen), 286 kilometers (178 mi) east of Perth. In his early farming days, he was unsuccessful, but was not deterred by the 1914 drought and owned 2,000 acres (8.1 km²) of land in 1921 when he entered parliament.^[1]

In 1916 Latham enlisted in the entirely volunteer-run First Australian Imperial Force and was promoted to the rank of Corporal in January 1917. He was wounded in France in March 1918. Latham was promoted Sergeant in 1919 and was discharged in May of that year.^[1]

Political career[]

Latham became the Country Party (now National Party) candidate for the Legislative Assembly seat of York in 1921 and became a MLA following this endorsement. Before the First World War Latham was a member of the Bruce Rock Road Board before the war, but upon his return to Australia he became the chairman of the Narembeen Road Board in 1924. In 1930 Latham became the parliamentary leader of the Country Party and fervently rallied for farmers' rights. Later that year he joined the Party with the Nationalist Party and served as deputy Premier of Western Australia under James Mitchell from 1930 to 1933. From 1933 onwards, Latham was the Leader of the Opposition until 1942, when he resigned to fill a vacancy in the Australian Senate but lost the 1943 election. Latham then returned to Parliament in 1946 to serve as a Member of the Legislative Council, became Minister for Agriculture in 1952–53 and retired in 1960, after another two years as the President of the Legislative Council.

Latham died on 26 August 1968 and was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.^[1][2]

See also[]

• Leader of the Opposition (Western Australia)
• National Party of Western Australia

References[]

Notes

Citations

External links[]

• Australian Dictionary of Biography entry