31 Facts About Eric Harrison

Eric Harrison was the inaugural deputy leader of the Liberal Party, and a government minister under four prime ministers.

Eric Harrison was later High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1956 to 1964.

Eric Harrison served with the Australian Army during World War I, and after the war's end became the manager of a textile factory.

Eric Harrison was elected to the House of Representatives in 1931, representing the United Australia Party.

Eric Harrison served briefly as Minister for Interior in 1934, under Joseph Lyons, and returned to the ministry in 1938.

In 1944, Eric Harrison replaced Billy Hughes as deputy leader of the UAP.

Eric Harrison was made the inaugural Leader of the House in 1951.

Eric Harrison left politics in 1956 to become High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

Eric Harrison retired in 1964, and suffered from Parkinson's disease in later years.

Eric Harrison was born in Surry Hills, Sydney, New South Wales, to Elizabeth Jane and Arthur Hoffman Eric Harrison.

Eric Harrison attended the Crown Street Superior Public School until the age of thirteen, when he left school to work in the textile industry.

Eric Harrison eventually became the manager of one of the factories owned by James Anderson Murdoch.

In October 1916, Eric Harrison joined the Australian Imperial Force and served on the Western Front from December 1917 in the 5th Field Artillery Brigade.

Eric Harrison was promoted to sergeant in May 1918, and rowed in the Royal Henley Peace Regatta in 1919.

Eric Harrison was appointed Minister for the Interior from 12 October 1934 in Lyons' second ministry, but lost the position on 9 November 1934 in Lyons' third Ministry, created to accommodate the Country Party.

In November 1938, Eric Harrison became Minister without portfolio administering External Territories, and in April 1939 was appointed Postmaster-General and Minister for Repatriation in Robert Menzies' first ministry, when the Country Party left the coalition.

Eric Harrison became Minister for Trade and Customs in Menzies third ministry in October 1940.

Eric Harrison is notable for making available a newsprint ration for Ezra Norton's Daily Mirror in 1941, while tightening overall newsprint rationing.

Eric Harrison was a strong supporter of Menzies, as he continued to be after World War II.

Eric Harrison went into opposition with the defeat of the Fadden government in October 1941 and almost lost his seat to suffragette and Australian Labor Party candidate Jessie Street in December 1943.

Eric Harrison was commissioned as an officer in the Militia in 1940 and in 1942 and 1943 he was a full-time liaison officer with the United States military forces in Australia.

Eric Harrison's wife died in 1941 and in October 1944 he married Linda Ruth Yardley, nee Fullerton, a widow and a businesswoman.

Eric Harrison became deputy leader of the UAP in April 1944.

Eric Harrison was the longest serving Liberal Party Deputy Leader until his record was broken by Peter Costello in 2006.

Eric Harrison was a vocal critic of the Curtin and Chifley governments.

Eric Harrison served as Minister for Postwar Reconstruction and Minister for Defence in the Menzies ministry.

Eric Harrison was acting prime minister for two weeks in June 1954, when Menzies was in New Zealand and Fadden was recovering from injuries sustained in a car accident.

Eric Harrison resigned from parliament in 1956 and became Australian High Commissioner in London, where he was an outspoken advocate of the "Old Commonwealth".

Eric Harrison died at Chatswood of Parkinson's disease and was survived by his wife and the three daughters of his first marriage.

Eric Harrison was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1954 as a result of being minister in charge of the royal visit of Queen Elizabeth II.

Eric Harrison was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1961 for his service as High Commissioner to the UK.