Mervyn Forrest
Robert Mervyn Forrest | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia |
| Died | August 22, 1975 (aged 84) Perth, Western Australia, Australia |
| Occupation(s) | Pastoralist, politician |
| Years active | 1915–1952 |
| Known for | Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council for North Province (1946–1952) |
Robert Mervyn Forrest (28 April 1891 – 22 August 1975) was an Australian pastoralist and politician affiliated with the Liberal Party. He represented North Province in the Western Australian Legislative Council from 1946 until 1952.
Early life
Born in Bunbury, Western Australia, Forrest was the son of Mary (née Parker) and David Forrest. His family had a strong political background, with his father and two uncles, Alexander and John, all serving in parliament; notably, John was Western Australia's inaugural premier. During his youth, he lived partly at Minderoo Station and received his education in Perth at both Hale School and Guildford Grammar School. Following his schooling, he gained experience within the family businesses by working as a jackaroo at Cubbine Station, fulfilling bookkeeping duties in Perth, and overseeing operations at Minderoo. Eventually, he became managing director of the entity controlling the Minderoo and Wyloo pastoral leases and held a position on the executive committee of the Pastoralists and Graziers Association of Western Australia. In 1916, he was appointed a justice of the peace.
Family
In 1918, Forrest married Agnes Courthope, who was the granddaughter of Archdeacon James Brown. The couple had four children. Among his descendants is his grandson, Andrew Forrest, who gained recognition as a leading figure in the mining industry.
Politics and later life
Forrest's public service included membership on the Ashburton Road Board from 1915 through 1947, during which time he served as chairman beginning in 1924. He secured election to parliament at the 1946 Legislative Council election, winning a seat for North Province by defeating independent candidate Cyril Cornish. After completing one six-year term, he was narrowly unseated at the 1952 election by Labor candidate Don Barker, losing by a margin of five votes after preference distribution.
Forrest passed away in Perth in August 1975 at age 84 and was interred at Karrakatta Cemetery.