Gordon Chalk

Sir Gordon William Wesley Chalk, KBE (16 May 1913 – 26 April 1991) was Premier of Queensland for a week, from 1 to 8 August 1968. He was the first and only Queensland Premier from the post-war Liberal Party.

The Honourable Sir Gordon Chalk KBE
Gordon Chalk in 1963
30th Premier of Queensland
In office 1 August 1968 – 8 August 1968
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor	Sir Alan Mansfield
Deputy	Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Preceded by	Jack Pizzey
Succeeded by	Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Leader of the Queensland Liberal Party Elections: 1966, 1969, 1972, 1974
In office 23 December 1965 – 13 August 1976
Deputy	Alex Dewar (1965–1967) Peter Delamothe (1967–1971) William Knox (1971–1976)
Preceded by	Thomas Hiley
Succeeded by	William Knox
35th Treasurer of Queensland
In office 23 December 1965 – 13 August 1976
Premier	Frank Nicklin Jack Pizzey Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Preceded by	Thomas Hiley
Succeeded by	William Knox
20th Deputy Premier of Queensland
In office 8 August 1968 – 13 August 1976
Premier	Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Preceded by	Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Succeeded by	William Knox
In office 23 December 1965 – 1 August 1968
Premier	Frank Nicklin Jack Pizzey
Preceded by	Thomas Hiley
Succeeded by	Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Deputy Leader of the Queensland Liberal Party
In office 28 January 1965 – 23 December 1965
Leader	Thomas Hiley
Preceded by	Thomas Hiley
Succeeded by	Alex Dewar
Minister for Transport
In office 12 August 1957 – 23 December 1965
Premier	Frank Nicklin
Preceded by	Thomas Moores
Succeeded by	William Knox
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Lockyer East Toowoomba (1950–1976)
In office 3 May 1947 – 12 August 1976
Preceded by	Les Wood
Succeeded by	Tony Bourke
Personal details
Born	(1913-05-16)16 May 1913 Rosewood, Queensland, Australia
Died	26 April 1991(1991-04-26) (aged 77) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Resting place	Uniting Church, Albert Street
Political party	Liberal
Other political affiliations	Coalition
Spouse	Ellen Clare Grant ​ (m. 1937)​
Occupation	Sales Representative, Newspaper employee

Early years

The only child of Queensland-born parents Samuel Chalk, butcher, and his wife, Sarah Elizabeth (née Wesley), "Chalkie", as he was nicknamed, was baptised in the Church of Christ (but as an adult gave his religion as Methodist). He attended Rosewood State, Marburg Rural, and Lockyer State High Schools.

Career

Gordon Chalk c. 1950

Chalk entered politics in 1947 having previously worked as a sales manager at the Toowoomba Foundry. In January 1965, he defeated Alex Dewar 11 votes to 9 to be elected as Deputy Liberal Leader, after Alan Munro resigned as leader and Deputy Premier.

On 23 December 1965, Chalk succeeded the retiring Sir Thomas Hiley as Leader of the Queensland Liberal Party, Deputy Premier and Treasurer in a coalition government with the Country Party led by Frank Nicklin. He did so by defeating Dewar a second time, 12 votes to 8. He continued in these roles when Jack Pizzey succeeded Nicklin as Premier on 17 January 1968.

Following the sudden death of Pizzey on 31 July 1968, the Governor Sir Alan Mansfield swore in Chalk as Premier on 1 August, pending the Country Party electing a new leader. They chose Joh Bjelke-Petersen, who succeeded Chalk after a week in office.

Chalk continued as Treasurer and Leader of the Liberal Party until his resignation from parliament in 1976.

Political positions

Seats held

• 1947–1950 East Toowoomba for the Queensland People's Party and the Liberal Party
• 1950–1976 Lockyer for the Liberal Party (resigned)

Ministerial positions

• Minister for Transport 12 August 1957 – 23 December 1965
• Treasurer 23 December 1965 – 13 August 1976
• Premier 1 August 1968 – 8 August 1968

Honours

In the Queen's Birthday Honours of June 1971, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE).

Personal life

Upon his death in 1991 Chalk was accorded a State funeral which was held at Albert Street Uniting Church and he was later cremated.

References

Notes

Citations