Harold_Cohen_(politician)
Harold Cohen (politician)
Australian politician
Brigadier Harold Edward Cohen, CMG, DSO, VD (25 November 1881 – 29 October 1946) was an Australian soldier, lawyer and, like his grandfather Edward Cohen, a Victorian State politician.[1]
Harold Cohen | |
|---|---|
| Solicitor-General of Victoria | |
| In office 20 March – 2 April 1935 | |
| Minister of Public Instruction | |
| In office 20 March – 2 April 1935 | |
| Assistant Treasurer of Victoria | |
| In office May 1932 – March 1935 | |
| Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Caulfield | |
| In office 2 March 1935 – 11 June 1943 | |
| Preceded by | Sir Harold Luxton |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Hughes |
| Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for Melbourne South Province | |
| In office June 1929 – February 1935 | |
| Preceded by | Norman Falkiner |
| Succeeded by | Archibald Crofts |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1881-11-25)25 November 1881 St Kilda, Victoria |
| Died | 29 October 1946(1946-10-29) (aged 64) South Melbourne, Victoria |
| Resting place | Melbourne General Cemetery |
| Political party | Nationalist Party (1929–31) United Australia Party (1931–43) |
| Alma mater | University of Melbourne |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Branch/service | Australian Army |
| Years of service | 1901–1944 |
| Rank | Brigadier |
| Commands | 2nd Infantry Brigade (1926–27) 4th Divisional Artillery (1921–26) 6th Field Artillery Brigade (1915–19) |
| Battles/wars | First World War Second World War |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Distinguished Service Order Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration Mentioned in Despatches (3) |
Cohen was the son of Montague and Annie Cohen and born in St Kilda, Melbourne. He married Freda Pirani on 4 December 1907, and they had two sons and two daughters. Cohen was educated at Xavier College where he was the first Jewish boy to attend the school. He was School Captain in 1898 was President of the Old Xaverians Association from 1919-1920.
He continued his studies at Melbourne University. Prior to being a politician, Cohen was a solicitor, soldier and a company director.[1]
In 1929, Cohen was elected as a Nationalist Party MP for Melbourne South Province in the Victorian Legislative Council. Cohen was Assistant Treasurer from 1932 until March 1935, Minister of Public Instruction and Solicitor-General from 20 March to 2 April 1935 in the government of Stanley Argyle.[2][3][4]
In 1935, he changed to the Victorian Legislative Assembly and was elected to Caulfield and was member for Caulfield until his defeat in 1943.[4]
Cohen served as Chief Commissioner of Scouts Victoria from 1919 to 1921.
- Falk, Barbara (1981). "Cohen, Harold Edward (1881–1946)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 8. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. pp. 53–54. ISSN 1833-7538.
- "Appointment Minister of Public Instruction & Solicitor-General Colonel the Honourable Harold Edward Cohen". Victoria Government Gazette. Victorian Government Printer. 20 March 1935. p. 1935:1003.
- "Resignation Minister of Public Instruction & Solicitor-General Colonel the Honourable Harold Edward Cohen". Victoria Government Gazette. Victorian Government Printer. 2 April 1935. p. 1935:1069.
- "Harold Edward Cohen". Re-Member: a database of all Victorian MPs since 1851. Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2019.