Percival Gourgaud
OBE
Secretary of the Department of Works and Railways
In office
11 June 1929 – 12 April 1932
Personal details
Born
Percival Albert Gourgaud

(1881-10-03)3 October 1881
Gladstone, Queensland, Australia
Died30 August 1958(1958-08-30) (aged 76)
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
NationalityAustralia Australian
OccupationPublic servant

Percival Albert Gourgaud OBE (3 October 1881 – 30 August 1958) was a senior Australian public servant, best known for his time as head of the Department of Works and Railways.

Life and career

Gourgaud was born on 3 October 1881 at Norton Diggings, near Gladstone, Queensland to parents Claudius Gourgaud and Mary Jane Gourgaud (née Barnes).[1] Claudius had emigrated from France, and Mary Jane from England.

He was appointed Secretary of the Department of Works and Railways in June 1929,[2] his previous position had been chief clerk and assistant secretary in the Department.[3]

The Great Depression restricted public operations, and in 1932 the Works Department was amalgamated with Home Affairs and Transport to form the Department of the Interior, in which he was appointed Assistant Secretary.[1]

Gourgaud retired in 1946,[1] and moved to a house in Moore Street, Turner.[4]

Gourgaud died on 30 August 1958 at Canberra Community Hospital, and was buried in Canberra cemetery.[1]

Awards

Gourgaud was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1937, in recognition of his public service.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 McDonald, Jan. "Gourgaud, Percival Albert (1881–1958)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015.
  2. ↑ CA 14: Department of Works and Railways, (Central Office), National Archives of Australia, retrieved 5 April 2015
  3. ↑ "Works Department: Probable New Secretary. Mr. P. A. Gourgaud Mentioned". News. Adelaide, South Australia. 21 March 1929. p. 1.
  4. ↑ "Death of Mr. P A. Gourgaud". The Canberra Times. 1 September 1958. p. 2.
  5. ↑ "Search Australian Honours: GOURGAUD, Percy Albert, The Order of the British Empire - Officer (Civil)", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, retrieved 5 April 2015
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