Winton Turnbull

Sir Winton George Turnbull, CBE (13 December 1899 – 15 January 1980) was an Australian politician.

Sir Winton Turnbull
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Wimmera
In office
9 February 1946  10 December 1949
Preceded byAlexander Wilson
Succeeded byWilliam Lawrence
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Mallee
In office
10 December 1949  2 November 1972
Preceded byNew seat
Succeeded byPeter Fisher
Personal details
Born(1899-12-13)13 December 1899
Hamilton, Victoria
Died15 January 1980(1980-01-15) (aged 80)
Bendigo, Victoria
NationalityAustralian
Political partyAustralian Country Party
SpouseBeryl Bradley
OccupationSoldier

Early life

Turnbull was born at Hamilton, Victoria to farmer Adam Beverly Turnbull and Georgina Agnes, née Drummond. He was mostly educated by his mother, although he did attend state schools for short periods. Following his father's death in 1922, Turnbull and his mother moved to Warracknabeal, where he was employed as an auctioneer. He took part in several public speaking competitions before he and his mother moved to Essendon 1933. During this time, he became interested in politics, joining the Country Party. He attempted to run for the Country Party in the House of Representatives seat of Bendigo in 1937, and attempted to take the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Lowan in 1940, but was unsuccessful in both.

In July 1940, Turnbull enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force and was sent to Malaya. He was captured at the 1942 fall of Singapore and was a prisoner of war for three and a half years at Changi, where he organised debates among the prisoners. At the end of the war he returned to Australia, unsuccessfully contesting the Legislative Assembly seat of Borung.

Federal politics

In 1946, Turnbull was elected in a by-election to the federal seat of Wimmera for the Country Party. He was subsequently discharged from the army in order to sit in the Parliament. He married tailoress Beryl Bradley on 22 December 1947 at Essendon.

Turnbull was a dedicated parliamentarian who never missed a parliamentary sitting. After his home was transferred to the newly created Mallee in 1949; he transferred there and was easily elected. He was appointed Country Party whip in 1956, and in 1968 was appointed a CBE. He was knighted in 1972 and retired from parliament later that year. He died at Bendigo on 15 January 1980, survived by his wife; they had no children.

A story told about Turnbull's interactions with Gough Whitlam (perhaps apocryphal) is that during a noisy parliamentary moment, Turnbull said "After all I am a country member". To which Whitlam retorted "I remember".[1]

References

  1. Mills, David; Rajca, Jennifer (21 October 2014). "Gough Whitlam remembered for his quick wit — and that TV ad for Leggo's pasta sauce". News Corp Australia Network. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
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