John Cramer (Australian politician)

The Honourable Sir John Cramer
Member of the Australian Parliament for Bennelong
In office 10 December 1949 – 11 April 1974
Preceded by	Division created
Succeeded by	John Howard
Personal details
Born	18 February 1896
Died	18 May 1994 (aged 98)
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Dame Mary Therese Cramer (1893-1984); four children
Occupation	Local politician

Sir John Oscar Cramer (18 February 1896 – 18 May 1994) was an Australian politician, representing the Liberal Party of Australia, of which he was a founding member. He was a Roman Catholic, a rare thing in the Liberal Party in its founding days and this was an issue. ^[1]

John Cramer was elected as Mayor of North Sydney in 1939. Later he was Chairman of the Sydney County Council. He was elected to the House of Representatives as the inaugural representative of the seat of Bennelong on its creation in 1949. In 1956, the Prime Minister Robert Menzies appointed him Minister for the Army, a portfolio he held until 1963.^[2]

In 1964 he was created a Knight Bachelor.^[3] He retired from parliament before the 1974 election, and was succeeded by John Howard (later to become Prime Minister). He died on 18 May 1994, aged 98.

Personal life

In 1922 he married Mary Therese Earls, a teacher, and his elder by two and a half years. The couple had four children: John, Erle, Bronwyn and Leonie.^[4] For her four decades of service as a charity worker and community activist, Lady Cramer was created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1971.

Dame Mary Cramer predeceased her husband by almost a decade, dying on 23 September 1984 (aged 91).^[5]

Writings

• Cramer, John (1989). Pioneers, politics and people: a political memoir. Sydney: Allen & Unwin. p. 231. ISBN 0-04-442104-4.

References

1. The Liberals Episode 1
2. "The Hon John Howard MP, Member for Bennelong (NSW), First Speech To Parliament". Hansard. Parliament of Australia. 26 September 1974. Retrieved 2007-08-28.
3. "Cramer, John Oscar". Its an Honour. Retrieved 28 August 2007.
4. Earls Family Chronicles
5. "Cramer, Dame Mary Therese". Australian Women. National Foundation for Australian Women. Retrieved 2007-08-28.