Frank Gordon
CMG, MBE
Public Service Commissioner
In office
1936–1947
Personal details
Born
Frank Gordon Thorpe

(1885-02-15)15 February 1885
Died30 March 1967(1967-03-30) (aged 82)
NationalityAustralian
Spouse(s)Elsie Rebecca Leake
(m. 1917–1921; her death)
Vera Hope Donaldson
(m. 1926–1967; his death)
OccupationPublic servant

Frank Gordon Thorpe, CMG, MBE (15 February 1885 – 30 March 1967) was a senior Australian public servant. He was Public Service Commissioner between 1936 and 1947.

Life and career

Frank Thorpe was born on 15 February 1885 in Kooreh, Victoria.[1]

Thorpe started his Commonwealth Public Service career in 1901, one of the Australia's earliest Commonwealth public servants, appointed as a personal clerk to the deputy Postmaster General in the Postmaster-General's Department.[1] When Thorpe volunteered to serve in World War I, he was rejected and instead selected for temporary duty at the Department of Defence.[2]

In 1921 he joined the Prime Minister's Department as a senior clerk.[1]

Thorpe moved to the Commonwealth Public Service Board in 1923, appointed as an assistant-inspector.[1] He was appointed Public Service Commissioner in 1937.[2] He continued working as Commissioner of the Board throughout World War II, including during periods of increasing pressure.[1]

Thorpe retired in 1947 after 49 years in the public service.[3] His farewell function was presided over by Stuart McFarlane, then Secretary of the Treasury and more than 110 senior public servants attended.[4]

After retirement, Thorpe was appointed Chairman of the Overseas Telecommunications Commission Promotions Appeal Board for two years from 1953.[5]

Thorpe died in Canberra in 1967.[1]

Awards

In June 1936, Thorpe was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire.[6] He was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in June 1939 whilst he was serving as Chairman of the Public Service Board.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Calaby, Matthew (2002). "Frank Gordon Thorpe (1885–1967)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 16. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Archived from the original on 28 April 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Mr. F.G. Thorpe: P.S. Commissioner Cabinet Appointment". The Canberra Times. 10 February 1937. p. 2.
  3. ↑ "Personal Paragraphs", The Argus, p. 2, 25 March 1947
  4. ↑ "Mr. F.G. Thorpe Farewelled By Public Servants". The Canberra Times. 25 March 1947. p. 2.
  5. ↑ CP 275: Frank Gordon THORPE CMG, MBE, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 12 September 2014
  6. ↑ "Search Australian Honours: THORPE, Frank Gordon", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 28 April 2014
  7. ↑ "Search Australian Honours: THORPE, Frank Gordon", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 28 April 2014
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