Albert Ogilvie

Who was Albert Ogilvie?

Albert George Ogilvie was an Australian politician and Premier of Tasmania from 22 June 1934 until his death on 10 June 1939.

Ogilvie was the elder son of James Ogilvie. He was educated at St Patrick's College, Ballarat, Victoria, St Virgils College Hobart, and the University of Tasmania, where he graduated LL.B. in 1914. He was admitted to the bar in the same year. In 1919 he was elected to the House of Assembly for Division of Franklin, and retained the seat at each succeeding election. In August 1921 Ogilvie successfully defended George William King who had been accused of the murder of Chrissie Venn. In October 1923 he joined the Lyons cabinet as attorney-general and minister for education, to which was added mines and forestry in March 1924. In this year he was made a King's Counsel and was then the youngest to hold that position in Australia. In 1927 he resigned from the Lyons government and sat as a private member, but was elected leader of the opposition when Lyons went into federal politics in 1929.