Harold Cohen (politician)

Brigadier Harold Edward Cohen, CMG, DSO, VD (25 November 1881 – 29 October 1946) was an Australian soldier, lawyer and, like his grandfather Edward Cohen, a Victorian State politician.[1]

Brigadier
Harold Cohen
CMG, DSO, VD
Solicitor-General of Victoria
In office
20 March – 2 April 1935
Minister of Public Instruction
In office
20 March – 2 April 1935
Assistant Treasurer of Victoria
In office
May 1932 – March 1935
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
for Caulfield
In office
2 March 1935 – 11 June 1943
Preceded bySir Harold Luxton
Succeeded byAndrew Hughes
Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for Melbourne South Province
In office
June 1929 – February 1935
Serving with Sir Frank Clarke
Preceded byNorman Falkiner
Succeeded byArchibald Crofts
Personal details
Born(1881-11-25)25 November 1881
St Kilda, Victoria
Died29 October 1946(1946-10-29) (aged 64)
South Melbourne, Victoria
Resting placeMelbourne General Cemetery
Political partyNationalist Party (1929–31)
United Australia Party (1931–43)
Alma materUniversity of Melbourne
Military service
AllegianceAustralia
Branch/serviceAustralian Army
Years of service1901–1944
RankBrigadier
Commands2nd Infantry Brigade (1926–27)
4th Divisional Artillery (1921–26)
6th Field Artillery Brigade (1915–19)
Battles/warsFirst World War
Second World War
AwardsCompanion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Distinguished Service Order
Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration
Mentioned in Despatches (3)

Early life

Cohen was the son of Montague and Annie Cohen and born in St Kilda, Melbourne. He married Freda Pirani on 4 December 1907, and they had two sons and two daughters. Cohen was educated at Xavier College where he was the first Jewish boy to attend the school. He was School Captain in 1898 was President of the Old Xaverians Association from 1919-1920.

He continued his studies at Melbourne University. Prior to being a politician, Cohen was a solicitor, soldier and a company director.[1]

Political career

In 1929, Cohen was elected as a Nationalist Party MP for Melbourne South Province in the Victorian Legislative Council. Cohen was Assistant Treasurer from 1932 until March 1935, Minister of Public Instruction and Solicitor-General from 20 March to 2 April 1935 in the government of Stanley Argyle.[2][3][4]

In 1935, he changed to the Victorian Legislative Assembly and was elected to Caulfield and was member for Caulfield until his defeat in 1943.[4]

Scouting

Cohen served as Chief Commissioner of Scouts Victoria from 1919 to 1921.

References
  1. Falk, Barbara (1981). "Cohen, Harold Edward (1881–1946)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 8. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. pp. 53–54. ISSN 1833-7538.
  2. "Appointment Minister of Public Instruction & Solicitor-General Colonel the Honourable Harold Edward Cohen". Victoria Government Gazette. Victorian Government Printer. 20 March 1935. p. 1935:1003.
  3. "Resignation Minister of Public Instruction & Solicitor-General Colonel the Honourable Harold Edward Cohen". Victoria Government Gazette. Victorian Government Printer. 2 April 1935. p. 1935:1069.
  4. "Harold Edward Cohen". Re-Member: a database of all Victorian MPs since 1851. Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 12 February 2019.


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