Dame Gertrude Ann Cosgrove ( Geappen; 1882–1962) was the wife of Sir

Robert Cosgrove Sir Robert Cosgrove (28 December 1884 – 25 August 1969) was an Australian politician who was the 30th and longest-serving Premier of Tasmania. He held office for over 18 years, serving from 1939 to 1947 and from 1948 to 1958. His involve ...

(1884–1969), twice

Premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of governm ...

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

. They married on 10 January 1911 at St. Mary's Catholic Cathedral, Hobart, Tasmania and had four children. Gertrude Cosgrove was a staunch companion to her husband in his political career; their elder son, Robert, was killed in 1940 while serving with the Royal Air Force. Gertrude Cosgrove was treasurer of the West Hobart women's branch of the

Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party (ALP), also simply known as Labor, is the major centre-left political party in Australia, one of two major parties in Australian politics, along with the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. The party forms the f ...

and active in the

Australian Comforts Fund Australian Comforts Fund (ACF) was an Australian umbrella organisation for voluntary bodies set up after the outbreak of World War I. Many men and women worked at the ACF, including Alice Berry and Cyril Docker in WW2. World War I The Australi ...

, the Country Women's Association, the Australian Red Cross and the

Victoria League The Victoria League for Commonwealth Friendship (1901–present) is a voluntary charitable organisation that connects people from Commonwealth countries. There are currently branches in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand with affiliated organisatio ...

. From 1916 she worked devotedly for the Elizabeth Street State School, Hobart. Her leisure activities included gardening and crochet. She was created a

Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

on 1 January 1947 and invested at

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of Ind ...

in 1949. She died in 1962, survived by her husband and three children.

External links

Biography of Robert Cosgrove
adb.online.anu.edu.au. Accessed 24 November 2022. * W. A. Townsley, ''Cosgrove, Dame Gertrude Ann (1882 - 1962)'', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 13: Melbourne University Press (1993), p. 506 1882 births 1962 deaths Australian Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire People from Hobart Wives of knights {{Women's-History-stub