Harold White (politician)
Harold Fletcher "Bill" White | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 June 1883 Saumarez, near Armidale, New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | 20 February 1971 (aged 87) Armidale, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation(s) | Soldier, grazier, politician |
| Years active | 1911–1947 |
| Known for | Military service in World War I; member of New South Wales Legislative Council; involvement in Graziers' Association |
Harold Fletcher "Bill" White (13 June 1883 – 20 February 1971) was an Australian soldier, grazier, and politician.
He was born at Saumarez, close to Armidale, the son of pastoralist Francis John White and Margaret Fletcher. As a partner in the family’s pastoral enterprise, he managed multiple stations in the New England region, including Saumarez, Bald Blair, Aberfoyle, and Ward's Mistake.
In October 1911, he wed Evelyn Augusta Bigg Curtis, with whom he had four children. Between 1911 and 1929, he held a position on the Guyra Council. Prior to World War I, he was an officer in the Citizens Military Force. During the conflict, he served with the Australian Imperial Force, attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel and commanding the 36th, 33rd, and 35th Battalions. His military service earned him three mentions in dispatches, the Distinguished Service Order in 1917, the French Croix de guerre in 1918, and in 1919 he was named a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.
From 1930 until 1932, White was part of the executive committee of the Graziers' Association. In 1932, he was appointed to the New South Wales Legislative Council representing the United Australia Party, serving for under two years without making any speeches in parliament. When life appointments were abolished in 1934, he chose not to pursue re-election but continued his involvement as a councillor for the Graziers' Association until 1947.
His family had a strong political legacy; his grandfather Frank White and uncle James Cobb White both served in the Parliament of New South Wales. Additionally, he was related to the author Patrick White.
White passed away in Armidale in 1971 at the age of 87.