Geoffrey William Brown (25 April 1894 – 14 October 1955) was an Australian politician. The son of Dr. Henry William Brown and Clara Treacher Brown (née Williams), he was born in Colac, Victoria, on 25 April 1894. He attended Geelong Grammar School from 1908 to 1911 and then Christ College at

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

where he graduated with a degree in natural sciences. He served in the British Expeditionary Force for five years from 1914 to 1919, being severely wounded and appointed M.B.E. and was then with the British Colonial Service for four years in England and Nigeria. Brown is believed to have served with the Royal West Kent Regiment in France and Belgium, being wounded at the Battle of Loos Appointed MBE on 7 June 1918, he was then posted as a lieutenant in the role of administrative officer and assistant adjutant at a School of Instruction. He is believed to have ended the war as a captain. On 7 April 1921, he married Caroline Mabel Brawn, youngest daughter of G Brawn JP at Lichfield Cathedral. Their daughter, Joan T was born at Atcham in Shropshire in 1922. In 1924, he returned to Australia to become an orchardist in

Merricks Merricks is a town in the south-eastern extremity of the Mornington Peninsula in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, approximately south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Shire of Mornington Peninsula local governme ...

and living at "Moelfre". He was president of the Victorian Fruit Marketing Association (1931–38), Victorian growers' delegate to the Australian Apple and Pear Council (1931–38), member of the Commonwealth delegation to the Imperial Fruit Marketing Committees meeting in London (chairman in 1934, vice-chairman 1936), and a member of the committee which prepared the Australian case for the Ottawa Conference in 1931. In 1949, Brown was president of the Victorian Fruitgrowers Council and vice president of the Australian Fruitgrowers Association. With the electoral redistribution of 1949 splitting the seat of Gippsland, a new seat of McMillan was created, taking a portion from the neighboring Flinders. Brown was encouraged to stand, although living well outside the seat's boundaries. His campaign manager and successor, Alexander Andrew Buchanan reminisced that Brown would initially turn up for political meetings in "old bags (trousers) and gumboots" In 1949, he was elected to the

Australian House of Representatives The House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the upper house being the Senate. Its composition and powers are established in Chapter I of the Constitution of Australia. The term of members of the ...

as the

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

member for the new seat of

McMillan MacMillan, Macmillan, McMillen or McMillan may refer to: People * McMillan (surname) * Clan MacMillan, a Highland Scottish clan * Harold Macmillan, British statesman and politician * James MacMillan, Scottish composer * William Duncan MacMillan ...

. During his time in parliament, he chaired the Immigration Advisory Council and also of the Government Members’ Food and Agricultural Committee. He held the seat until his death at Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville in 1955, following a heart attack, whilst sitting in the House of Representatives. He was survived by his wife, Mrs. E Brown, a son, also Geoffrey and a daughter, Joan (Mrs William N.R Brisbane).

References

Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia Members of the Australian House of Representatives for McMillan Members of the Australian House of Representatives 1894 births 1955 deaths Alumni of the University of Cambridge Australian orchardists 20th-century Australian politicians Australian Members of the Order of the British Empire People from Colac, Victoria People educated at Geelong Grammar School {{Australia-Liberal-politician-stub