John Curtin

John Curtin was born on 8 January 1885 in Creswick, Victoria, to John Curtin Sr., a former policeman, and Catherine Agnes Bourke, both of Irish descent. He was the eldest of four children and had a difficult childhood marked by poverty and ill health. He left school at the age of 13 and worked as a copyboy, a printer's assistant, a page boy, and a clerk. He also educated himself by reading books at the public library and developed an interest in politics and social issues. Curtin joined the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in 1903 and became active in the labour movement. He was influenced by socialist thinkers like Tom Mann and Frank Anstey and opposed conscription during World War I. He also became involved in journalism and edited several labour newspapers, including the Westralian Worker in Perth, where he moved in 1917. He married Elsie Needham, a schoolteacher and suffragist, in the same year and they had two children. Curtin entered federal politics in 1928 when he won the seat of Fremantle in Western Australia. He lost it in 1931 but regained it in 1934. He became the leader of the ALP in 1935 after James Scullin's retirement. He faced many challenges as the leader of the opposition during the Great Depression and the rise of fascism in Europe. He advocated for social justice, economic recovery, national defence, and international cooperation. Curtin became the prime minister of Australia on 7 October 1941, after Arthur Fadden's minority government lost a confidence motion. He took office at a critical time when Australia was under threat from Japan's expansion in the Pacific. He showed strong leadership and courage in mobilising the nation for war and forging a close alliance with the United States. He also initiated many domestic reforms such as income tax, child endowment, widows' pensions, and unemployment benefits. Curtin's health deteriorated under the strain of war and he suffered from heart problems and nervous exhaustion. He died of a heart attack on 5 July 1945 at The Lodge in Canberra, just six weeks before Japan's surrender. He was given a state funeral and buried at Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth. He is widely regarded as one of Australia's greatest prime ministers and a national hero.