20 Facts About Archdale Parkhill

Sir Robert Archdale "Archie" Parkhill KCMG was an Australian politician who was a member of the House of Representatives from 1927 to 1937.

Archdale Parkhill began his career in politics as a campaign director for the Commonwealth Liberal Party and Nationalist Party.

Archdale Parkhill later joined the new United Australia Party in 1931, and served as a minister in the Lyons government between 1932 and 1937.

Archdale Parkhill was the son of Isabella and Robert Parkhill, his father being a stonemason.

Archdale Parkhill was educated at public schools in Paddington and Waverley before finding work as a clerk.

In 1904, Archdale Parkhill was elected to the Waverley Municipal Council.

Archdale Parkhill married Florence Ruth Watts on 9 May 1906.

In July 1909 Archdale Parkhill was chosen as secretary of the newly formed New South Wales Federal Liberal League.

Archdale Parkhill directed nineteen Federal and State election and referendum campaigns between 1904 and 1928, presiding over the introduction of new campaign techniques such as film and radio.

Archdale Parkhill became closely associated with Prime Minister Billy Hughes, who had led the Labor split, and was the central figure in the organisation of the Nationalist Party under both Hughes and his successor, Stanley Bruce.

In 1922 Archdale Parkhill was persuaded to surrender his candidacy for the safe Nationalist seat of North Sydney to Hughes, but was able to enter Parliament via the equally safe seat of Warringah at a by-election following the retirement of Sir Granville Ryrie in 1927.

Archdale Parkhill was instrumental in reviving Nationalist morale, which was partly responsible for the implosion of Labor Prime Minister James Scullin's government.

Archdale Parkhill, who was deeply attached to the Nationalist Party, was not enthusiastic about the formation of the United Australia Party, successor to the Nationalist Party, under Labor defector Joseph Lyons.

Archdale Parkhill described it as a "party of spare parts"; nevertheless, when the party won the 1931 election, Parkhill was appointed Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Transport in January 1932.

Archdale Parkhill was defeated by Robert Menzies for the deputy leadership of the United Australia Party in December 1935, but was nevertheless the leader of the Australian delegation to King George VI's coronation in 1937.

Archdale Parkhill joined a number of company boards after his electoral defeat and considered re-contesting Warringah, but the success of Spender destroyed his hopes.

Archdale Parkhill died at St Luke's Hospital in Sydney in 1947 and was buried in Waverley Cemetery, survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.

Archdale Parkhill was regarded as the leader of the conservative faction of the party, being extremely conservative morally and socially, and lent his support to free trade.

Archdale Parkhill always aspired to be Prime Minister, and his defeat for deputy party leader was a personal blow to Joseph Lyons.

Archdale Parkhill is held partly responsible for the revival of the parties opposed to Labor in the 1930s, and for his effective defence policy.