The Honourable Reginald Weaver |
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Weaver in October 1932
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16th Leader of the Opposition of New South Wales Elections: 1944 |
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In office 10 February 1944 – 12 November 1945 |
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Monarch | George VI |
Deputy | Athol Richardson |
Preceded by | Alexander Mair |
Succeeded by | Alexander Mair |
19th Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly | |
In office 4 August 1937 – 27 May 1941 |
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Preceded by | Sir Daniel Levy |
Succeeded by | Daniel Clyne |
Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Neutral Bay |
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In office 8 October 1927 – 12 November 1945 |
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Preceded by | New district |
Succeeded by | Ivan Black |
Personal details | |
Born |
Quirindi, Colony of New South Wales |
18 July 1876
Died | 12 November 1945 Hornsby, New South Wales, Australia |
(aged 69)
Spouse(s) | Gertrude Weaver (née Walker) |
Education | Newington College |
Military service | |
Allegiance | Australia |
Service/branch | Australian Army |
Years of service | 1918 |
Rank | Private |
Unit | AIF |
Battles/wars | World War I |
Reginald Walter Darcy Weaver (18 July 1876 – 12 November 1945) was an Australian conservative parliamentarian who served in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for 28 years. Serving from 1917 in the backbenches, he entered the cabinet of Thomas Bavin in 1929 as Secretary for Mines and Minister for Forests until he returned to opposition in 1930. Following the success of the United Australia Party in the 1932 election, Weaver returned as the Secretary for Public Works and Minister for Health in the Stevens ministry.
In 1935 he was dropped from the ministry but was later elected as the Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1937, holding office until the Mair Government lost power in 1941. Weaver then witnessed the death of the United Australia Party in 1943 and became the leader of the new Democratic Party in 1944. He was then involved in the negotiations to form the future Liberal Party of Australia, which were ultimately successful, with Weaver becoming the first leader of the Liberal Party in April 1945. He served only briefly until dying of a heart attack in November 1945.
Reginald Weaver was born at Kickerbill station, Quirindi, New South Wales, on the Liverpool Plains, the twelfth child of English-born parents Richard Weaver and his wife Fanny Seymour Weaver. Weaver was educated at Newington College (1890–1894) in Sydney before joining two of his brothers in a in Forbes and then branching out on his own at Condobolin and Narrandera. A member of the Farmers and Settlers' Association, Weaver first entered politics when he was elected as an Alderman on Condobolin Municipal Council from 1898 to 1900 and then later as an Alderman on Narrandera Municipal Council in 1902. On 19 April 1899 he married Gertrude Susan Bond Walker at St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney.