Robert Mervyn Forrest (28 April 1891 – 22 August 1975) was an Australian pastoralist and politician who served as a Liberal Party member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia from 1946 to 1952, representing North Province.

Early life

Forrest was born in Bunbury, Western Australia, to Mary (née Parker) and David Forrest. His father and two uncles ( Alexander and John) were also members of parliament, with John being Western Australia's first

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 ...

. Forrest lived at

Minderoo Station Minderoo Station, commonly referred to as Minderoo, is a pastoral lease that once operated as a sheep station but now operates as a cattle station in Western Australia. Description It is situated about south of Onslow and west of Pannawoni ...

for periods as a child, and was later sent to Perth to be educated, attending Hale School and Guildford Grammar School. After leaving school, he worked for family businesses as a jackaroo at Cubbine Station, bookkeeper in Perth, and station overseer of Minderoo. Forrest eventually became managing director of the holding company for the Minderoo and

Wyloo Wyloo Station, often referred to as Wyloo and previously known as Peake, is a pastoral lease that operates as a sheep station and cattle station. It is located about south of Pannawonica and west of Paraburdoo in the Pilbara region of Wes ...

leases, and also served on the executive of the Pastoralists and Graziers Association. He became a

justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

in 1916.Robert Mervyn Forrest
Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 7 February 2017.

Family

Forrest married Agnes Courthope (the granddaughter of Archdeacon James Brown) in 1918, with whom he had four children. A grandson,

Andrew Forrest John Andrew Henry Forrest (born 18 November 1961), nicknamed Twiggy, is an Australian businessman. He is best known as the former CEO (and current non-executive chairman) of Fortescue Metals Group (FMG), and has other interests in the mining i ...

, became a prominent mining entrepreneur.

Politics and later life

Forrest served on the Ashburton Road Board from 1915 to 1947, including as chairman from 1924. He entered parliament at the 1946 Legislative Council election, defeating

Cyril Cornish Cyril Richard Cornish, DSO (30 June 1891 – 10 October 1961) was an Australian businessman and politician who was an independent member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia from 1942 to 1946, representing North Province. Cornish ...

(an independent) for one of the three North Province seats. Forrest served a single six-year term before losing his seat to Labor's Don Barker at the 1952 election. After allocation of

preferences In psychology, economics and philosophy, preference is a technical term usually used in relation to choosing between alternatives. For example, someone prefers A over B if they would rather choose A than B. Preferences are central to decision theo ...

he was defeated by five votes (873 votes were cast). Forrest died in Perth in August 1975, aged 84, and was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forrest, Mervyn 1891 births 1975 deaths Australian justices of the peace Australian pastoralists Burials at Karrakatta Cemetery Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Western Australia Mayors of places in Western Australia Members of the Western Australian Legislative Council People educated at Guildford Grammar School People educated at Hale School People from Bunbury, Western Australia Western Australian local councillors

Early life

Family

Politics and later life

See also

References