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William Morris Hughes

The Right Honourable
William Hughes
CH QC
Hughes15-16.jpg
7th Prime Minister of Australia
Elections: 1917, 1919, 1922
In office
27 October 1915 – 9 February 1923
Monarch George V
Governor-General Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson
Lord Forster
Deputy George Pearce 1915–1916
Sir Joseph Cook 1916–1921
Stanley Bruce 1921–1923
Preceded by Andrew Fisher
Succeeded by Stanley Bruce
Leader of the United Australia Party
In office
29 August 1941 – 23 September 1943
Preceded by Robert Menzies
Succeeded by Robert Menzies
Leader of the Australian Party
In office
1930–1931
Preceded by Position Established
Succeeded by Joseph Lyons (as Leader of the United Australia Party)
Leader of the Nationalist Party
In office
17 February 1917 – 9 February 1923
Deputy Sir Joseph Cook
Preceded by Himself (as Leader of the National Labor Party)
Succeeded by Stanley Bruce
Leader of the National Labor Party
In office
14 November 1916 – 17 February 1917
Deputy George Pearce
Preceded by Himself (as Leader of the Labor Party)
Succeeded by Himself (as Leader of the Nationalist Party)
Leader of the Labor Party
In office
27 October 1915 – 14 November 1916
Deputy George Pearce
Preceded by Andrew Fisher
Succeeded by Frank Tudor
Deputy Leader of the Labor Party
In office
30 July 1914 – 27 October 1915
Leader Andrew Fisher
Preceded by Gregor McGregor
Succeeded by George Pearce
Member of the Australian Parliament for Bradfield
In office
10 December 1949 – 28 October 1952
Preceded by Seat Created
Succeeded by Harry Turner
Member of the Australian Parliament for North Sydney
In office
16 December 1922 – 10 December 1949
Preceded by Granville Ryrie
Succeeded by William Jack
Member of the Australian Parliament for Bendigo
In office
5 May 1917 – 16 December 1922
Preceded by Alfred Hampson
Succeeded by Geoffry Hurry
Member of the Australian Parliament for West Sydney
In office
29 March 1901 – 5 May 1917
Preceded by Seat Created
Succeeded by Con Wallace
Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Sydney-Lang
In office
17 July 1894 – 11 June 1901
Preceded by New district
Succeeded by John Power
Personal details
Born 25 September 1862
Pimlico, London, England
Died 28 October 1952(1952-10-28) (aged 90)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Resting place Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium
Political party Labor (1894–1916)
National Labor (1916–17)
Nationalist (1917–30)
Australian (1930–31)
United Australia (1931–44)
Liberal (1944–52)
Spouse(s) Dame Mary Ethel Hughes (née Campbell)
Children 7
Religion Baptist

William Morris "Billy" Hughes, CH, QC (25 September 1862 – 28 October 1952) was a British-born Australian politician who was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia, from 1915 to 1923.

Born and raised in London, Hughes was the son of Welsh parents. At age 22, he immigrated to Australia and entered into politics. Over the course of his 51-year federal parliamentary career (and an additional seven years prior to that in a colonial parliament), Hughes changed parties five times: from Labor (1894–1916) to National Labor (1916–17) to Nationalist (1917–30) to Australian (1930–31) to United Australia (1931–44) to Liberal (1944–52). He was expelled from three parties, and represented four different electorates in two states.

Originally Prime Minister as leader of the Labor Party, his support of World War I conscription in Australia led him, along with 24 other pro-conscription members, to form National Labor. National Labor merged with the Commonwealth Liberal Party to form the Nationalist Party. His prime ministership came to an end when the Nationalist party was forced to form a coalition with the Country Party, who refused to serve under Hughes. He was the longest-serving prime minister up to that point, and the fifth longest serving over all. He would later lead the United Australia Party to the 1943 election, though Arthur Fadden served as Coalition leader.

He died in 1952 at age 90, while still serving in Parliament. He is the longest-serving member of the Australian Parliament, and one of the most colourful and controversial figures in Australian political history.


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