Gordon Brown

Who was Gordon Brown?

Gordon Brown was a long-serving Australian politician.

Born in Derbyshire, England, he was educated at Clay Cross Grammar School before becoming a printer and engineer. He migrated to Australia in 1912, where he became an organiser of the Shop Assistants' Union and of the Socialist Party. He was a member of the Brisbane Trades Hall Council, and was on the Central Executive of the Queensland branch of the Australian Labor Party. In 1931, he was elected to the Australian Senate as a Labor Senator for Queensland. On 23 September 1943, he was elected President of the Senate, succeeding the late Senator James Cunningham. He remained President until 19 March 1951, when the Liberal Party took control of the Senate and elected Ted Mattner to replace him. He retired in 1964, taking effect in 1965.

From 1947 to 1950, he and Joe Collings were the joint Fathers of the Senate, and from 1950 until his retirement, Brown was the sole Father.

He died in 1967.