Frank Strahan

Frank Strahan
Frank Strahan; CBE CVO
Secretary of the Prime Minister's Department
	In office; 11 November 1935 – 24 August 1949
Secretary of the Department of External Territories
	In office; 26 June 1941 – 10 May 1944
Personal details
Born	2 July 1886; Fryerstown, Victoria
Died	4 May 1976 (aged 89); Camberwell, Melbourne, Victoria
Nationality	Australian
Spouse(s)	Ella Mary Moore (m. 1914–1965; her death)
Occupation	Public servant

Frank Strahan CBE CVO (2 July 1886 – 4 May 1976) was a senior Australian public servant. Between 1935 and 1949, he was Secretary of the Prime Minister's Department.

Life and career

Strahan was born in Fryerstown, Victoria on 2 July 1886.[1]

In November 1935, Strahan was appointed Secretary of the Prime Minister's Department.[2] In the role, he became the first member of the Commonwealth Public Service to attend Cabinet when he attended a meeting of the Third Menzies Ministry in July 1941.[1]

In 1941 when the Department of External Territories was established (it was previously an office in the Prime Minister's Department), Strahan was named its Secretary.[3] Strahan served in dual roles at the head of the Territories Department and the Prime Minister's Department until 1944, when J.R. Halligan was appointed to head the Department of External Territories.[3]

Strahan retired in August 1949.[1] He died on 4 May 1976 in Camberwell, and his body was cremated.[1]

Awards

Whilst an Assistant Secretary at the Prime Minister's Department in June 1928, Strahan was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.[4] In April 1935 he was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.[5]

References

Powell, Graeme, "Strahan, Frank (1886–1976)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, archived from the original on 21 January 2015
CA 12: Prime Minister's Department, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 21 January 2015
CA 42: Department of External Territories [I], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 21 January 2015
"Search Australian Honours: STRAHAN, Frank, The Order of the British Empire - Commander (Civil)", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 21 January 2015
"Search Australian Honours:, STRAHAN, Frank, The Royal Victorian Order - Commander", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 21 January 2015

Government offices
Preceded by John Henry Starling	Secretary of the Prime Minister's Department 1935 – 1949	Succeeded by Allen Brown
New title Department established	Secretary of the Department of External Territories 1941 – 1944	Succeeded by James Reginald Halligan

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[Powell-1] Powell, Graeme, "Strahan, Frank (1886–1976)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, archived from the original on 21 January 2015

[NAA_CA_12-2] CA 12: Prime Minister's Department, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 21 January 2015

[NAA_CA_42-3] CA 42: Department of External Territories [I], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 21 January 2015

[4] "Search Australian Honours: STRAHAN, Frank, The Order of the British Empire - Commander (Civil)", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 21 January 2015

[5] "Search Australian Honours:, STRAHAN, Frank, The Royal Victorian Order - Commander", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 21 January 2015