Marie Breen

Marie Breen
Dame; Marie Breen; DBE
Senator for Victoria
	In office; 1 July 1962 – 30 June 1968
Personal details
Born	Marie Freda Chamberlin; 3 November 1902; St Kilda, Victoria, Australia
Died	17 June 1993 (aged 90); Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia
Political party	Liberal
Other political; affiliations	AWNL
Spouse(s)	Robert Breen (m. 1928; died 1968)
Children	3, including Jeannette Patrick

Dame Marie Freda Breen DBE (née Chamberlin; 3 November 1902 – 17 June 1993) was an Australian politician who served as a Senator for Victoria from 1962 to 1968, representing the Liberal Party.

Early life

Marie Freda Chamberlin was born in St Kilda, Victoria, to Jane Maud (née Conquest) and Frederick William Chamberlin. Her father worked as a clerk at the St Kilda City Council. Chamberlin attended St Michael's Grammar School, and then after a course in shorthand and typing found work as a law clerk. She married lawyer Robert Tweeddale Breen on 12 December 1928.[1]

Politics

Breen was introduced to public life when her husband became Mayor of Brighton in 1941. In 1952 she served as chairman of the Federal Women's Committee of the Liberal Party of Australia. She was a Senator from July 1962 until her retirement in June 1968.[1]

Family

She married Robert Breen on 12 December 1928. Their daughter, Jeannette Patrick (2 November 1929 – 24 May 2011), also entered politics. She was the Liberal Member for Brighton (in the Victorian Legislative Assembly), 1976–85, and as Parliamentary Secretary (1979–82).[1]

Legacy

Breen attended St Michael's Church of England Grammar School. In 1987, when the school decided to bring in a new house, the house was named after Dame Marie Breen. In 2010 she was nominated for the Victorian Honour Roll of Women for her work as a member of the Australian Senate, representing the Liberal Party of Australia.

References

BREEN, DAME MARIE FREDA (1902–1993), The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate, vol. 3, 1962-1983, University of New South Wales Press Ltd, Sydney, 2010, pp. 59-62.

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[bdas-1] BREEN, DAME MARIE FREDA (1902–1993), The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate, vol. 3, 1962-1983, University of New South Wales Press Ltd, Sydney, 2010, pp. 59-62.