Gerald Blake Rygate (24 February 1895 – 8 June 1960) was an Australian politician. Born at Grenfell to medical doctor Robert Edward Rygate, he was educated at

St Ignatius College, Riverview Saint Ignatius' College Riverview is an Australian independent single-sex primary and secondary day and boarding school for boys, conducted in the Jesuit tradition, located in Riverview, a small suburb located on the Lane Cove River on t ...

. He also studied medicine subsequently joining the Irrigation Commission as a clerk in Leeton, NSW. Granted extended leave Rygate enlisted in the AIF in August 1915. He served in Egypt and France, was wounded in action and was twice

mentioned in despatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches, MiD) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face ...

. On his return he farmed at

Canowindra Situated on the Belubula River, Canowindra (pronounced ) is a historic township and largest population centre in Cabonne Shire and is located between Orange and Cowra in the central west of New South Wales, Australia. The curving main street ...

. On 7 February 1923 he married Amelia Rice, with whom he had a son. A Labor Party member since 1912, he was prominent in local politics and sports administration, served as coroner, and actively promoted returned servicemen's welfare causes. He was elected to the

New South Wales Legislative Council The New South Wales Legislative Council, often referred to as the upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of the Australian state of New South Wales. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in th ...

in 1952. In 1959 he was expelled from the party for voting against the abolition of the Legislative Council, and became associated with the

Independent Labor Group The Independent Labor Group was a minor Australian political grouping in the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1959 to 1977. The group emerged when a number of Labor Party MLCs were expelled from the party for voting against the abolition ...

. In failing health, his attendance in the Council diminished in 1960 and he died in June at

Waverley Waverley may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Waverley'' (novel), by Sir Walter Scott ** ''Waverley'' Overture, a work by Hector Berlioz inspired by Scott's novel * Waverley Harrison, a character in the New Zealand soap opera ''Shortland Stree ...

. His widow Amelia entered the Legislative Council in 1961.

References

External links

First AIF Service Record
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rygate, Gerald 1895 births 1960 deaths Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of New South Wales Independent Labor Group politicians Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council 20th-century Australian politicians