Archibald Gilchrist | |
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Member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia |
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In office 4 November 1914 – 29 September 1917 |
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Preceded by | John McDonald |
Succeeded by | Edward Angelo |
Constituency | Gascoyne |
Personal details | |
Born | 1878 North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
Died | 10 March 1955 Vaucluse, New South Wales, Australia |
Political party |
Liberal (to 1917) Nationalist (1917–?) |
Other political affiliations |
Independent (1937) |
Archibald Gilchrist (1878 – 10 March 1955) was an Australian businessman and politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1914 to 1917, representing the seat of Gascoyne.
Gilchrist was born in Melbourne to Hadassah (née Kendall) and Archibald Gilchrist, his father being a Presbyterian minister. He was raised in Sydney, and attended Sydney High School before finding work on the staff of the Public Library of New South Wales. Gilchrist moved to Carnarvon, Western Australia, in 1904, where he was the pastor of a Presbyterian church for a period (although without becoming ordained). He was later appointed manager of The Northern Times, a local newspaper which he eventually took over as proprietor.
In 1913, Gilchrist toured the North-West as an organiser for the Commonwealth Liberal Party, campaigning against the 1913 referendums. He was a prominent advocate of migration schemes, and served as secretary of the New Settlers' League and the Big Brother Movement. At the 1914 state election, Gilchrist was elected to the seat of Gascoyne for the Liberal Party. He defeated John McDonald, the sitting Labor member. Gilchrist enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in December 1915, and served with a medical corps until receiving a medical discharge in December 1916. He returned to Carnarvon in time to contest the 1917 election, but was defeated by Edward Angelo.