Alick Downer
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The Honourable Sir Alick Downer KBE |
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| Member of the Australian Parliament for Angas |
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In office 10 December 1949 – 23 April 1964 |
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| Preceded by | New seat |
| Succeeded by | Geoffrey Giles |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Alexander Russell Downer 7 April 1910 North Adelaide, South Australia |
| Died | 30 March 1981 (aged 70) Barossa Valley |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Downer (née Gosse) |
| Children | Alexander Downer |
| Parents | John William Downer and Una Stella Haslingden Downer (née Russell) |
| Residence | Arbury Park |
| Alma mater | University of Oxford |
| Profession | Barrister |
| Religion | Anglican |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Service/branch | Second Australian Imperial Force |
| Years of service | 1940–1945 |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Unit | 2/14th Field Regiment |
| Battles/wars | |
Sir Alexander Russell Downer, KBE (7 April 1910 – 30 March 1981), generally known as Sir Alick Downer, was an Australian politician and diplomat. Downer was a member of the Australian House of Representatives between 1949 and 1963 before serving as Australian High Commissioner to London between 1963 and 1972.
Downer was born in Adelaide as a member of the influential Downer family. His father, Sir John Downer, was a Premier of South Australia and a member of the Australian Senate. His mother was Una Russell, daughter of Henry Chamberlain Russell, who remarried when Alick was 8, to D’Arcy Wentworth Addison. Sir Alick's son, Alexander Downer, also a Liberal politician, was Leader of the Opposition 1994–95 and Foreign Minister of Australia 1996–2007.
He was educated at Geelong Grammar School and at the University of Oxford, where he graduated in economics and political science. He was the godfather of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, brother of Diana, Princess of Wales. The Earl's godmother was Queen Elizabeth II.
After graduating from Oxford in 1932 he read law in London, and in 1934 he was admitted to the bar at Inner Temple. Returning to Adelaide, he joined the South Australian Bar in 1935. He practised as a barrister until joining the Australian Army in 1940. He served in Malaya and was a prisoner-of-war for three years, where he set up a camp library and gave lessons to other prisoners. He was promoted to sergeant due to these efforts, but the promotion was not recognised upon his release.
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