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Member Details

Mr James MCGIRR (1890 - 1957)

Member Photo
Date of Birth: 06/02/1890
Place of Birth: Parkes, New South Wales , Australia
Date of Death: 27/10/1957
Place of Death: Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Member for Liverpool 17 Jun 1950 03 Apr 1952 1 year 9 months 18 days
Colonial Secretary, Secretary for Mines, and Minister for National Emergency Services 08 Sep 1949 21 Sep 1949 14 days
Member for Bankstown 03 May 1947 22 May 1950 3 years 20 days
Colonial Treasurer 06 Feb 1947 02 Apr 1952 5 years 1 month 28 days
Minister for Agriculture 06 Feb 1947 13 Feb 1947 8 days
Premier 06 Feb 1947 02 Apr 1952 5 years 1 month 28 days
Minister for Housing 08 Jun 1944 06 Feb 1947 2 years 7 months 30 days
Member for Bankstown 27 May 1944 29 Mar 1947 2 years 10 months 3 days
Minister for Local Government and Housing 16 May 1941 08 Jun 1944 3 years 24 days
Member for Bankstown 10 May 1941 24 Apr 1944 2 years 11 months 15 days
Member for Bankstown 04 Mar 1938 18 Apr 1941 3 years 1 month 15 days
Member for Bankstown 11 May 1935 24 Feb 1938 2 years 9 months 14 days
Member for Bankstown 11 Jun 1932 12 Apr 1935 2 years 10 months 2 days
Minister for Transport 22 Mar 1932 13 May 1932 1 month 22 days
Minister for Local Government 17 Jun 1931 13 May 1932 10 months 27 days
Minister for Health 04 Nov 1930 17 Jun 1931 7 months 14 days
Member for Bankstown 25 Oct 1930 18 May 1932 1 year 6 months 24 days
Member for Bankstown 08 Oct 1927 18 Sep 1930 2 years 11 months 11 days
Member for Cumberland 30 May 1925 07 Sep 1927 2 years 3 months 9 days
Member for Cootamundra 25 Mar 1922 18 Apr 1925 3 years 25 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 25 Mar 1922 03 Apr 1952 30 years 10 days
Political Party Activity
Australian Labor Party (ALP). Joined Parkes branch in 1906, president and secretary, president of Calare federal, electorate council and Ashburnham state electorate council; later member Bankstown branch; one of last to withdraw support from Lang 1939.
Community Activity
Commissioned as a Justice of the Peace in 1915
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Pharmacist. Grew up on dairy farm near Parkes; educated at Parkes and St Stanislaus' College, Bathurst; apprenticed to brother J.J.G. McGirr, pharmacist, broke apprenticeship to work in stockyards for short period, resumed apprenticeship, attended University of Sydney, Ph C; employed by Washington H. Soul and Co. in Pitt Street; opened a pharmacy in Parkes, specialising in veterinarians' prescriptions, later in partnership with brother, Marrickville and Kings Cross; bought 800 acre farm, wheat, sheep and cattle; other real estate investments; president of Maritime Services Board 1952-1955; retired to Strathfield, ran 268 acre property Kemps Creek near Liverpool, horses and cattle; member Pharmacy Board.
Military Service
Honours Received
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of John Patrick, farmer and Irish migrant, and Mary O'Sullivan. Married Valerie Cecilia Armstrong at Orange on 15 October 1932 and had issue, 2 sons and l daughter. Roman Catholic. Funeral in Roman Catholic cemetery in Parkes. Brother of John Joseph Gregory McGirr and Patrick Michael McGirr (qqv).
Additional Information
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 15 Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: James McGirr - papers, 1931 - 1952 (MLMSS 3182)

The Parliament of New South Wales acknowledges and respects the traditional lands of all Aboriginal people, and pays respects to all Elders past and present. We acknowledge the Gadigal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Parliament of New South Wales stands.