Frank Tudor

Frank Tudor
Leader of the Opposition
In office
17 February 1917 – 10 January 1922
Prime MinisterBilly Hughes
DeputyAlbert Gardiner
Preceded byJoseph Cook
Succeeded byMatthew Charlton
Leader of the Labor Party
In office
14 November 1916 – 10 January 1922
DeputyAlbert Gardiner
Preceded byBilly Hughes
Succeeded byMatthew Charlton
Minister for Trade and Customs
In office
17 September 1914 – 14 September 1916
Prime MinisterAndrew Fisher
Billy Hughes
Preceded byLittleton Groom
Succeeded byBilly Hughes (acting)
In office
29 April 1910 – 24 June 1913
Prime MinisterAndrew Fisher
Preceded byRobert Best
Succeeded byLittleton Groom
In office
13 November 1908 – 2 June 1909
Prime MinisterAndrew Fisher
Preceded byAustin Chapman
Succeeded byRobert Best
Member of the Australian Parliament for Yarra
In office
30 March 1901 – 10 January 1922
Preceded bySeat created
Succeeded byJames Scullin
Personal details
Born(1866-01-29)29 January 1866
Williamstown, Victoria Colony, British Empire
Died10 January 1922 (aged 55)
Richmond, Victoria, Australia
Political partyLabor
Spouses
Alice Smale
(m. 1894; wid. 1894)
Fanny Mead
(m. 1897)
Children6
EducationRichmond Central State School
Signature

Francis Gwynne Tudor (29 January 1866 – 10 January 1922) was an Australian politician who served as the leader of the Australian Labor Party from 1916 until his death. He had previously been a government minister under Andrew Fisher and Billy Hughes.

Tudor was born in Melbourne to Welsh immigrant parents. He left school at a young age to enter the workforce, serving an apprenticeship in the felt hat industry and later studying his trade for periods in England and the United States. He became involved in trade unionism in England, and after returning to Australia served as president of the Felt Hatters' Union. Tudor was elected president of the Victorian Trades Hall Council in 1900. The following year, he was elected to the new federal parliament as a representative of the Labor Party. He was chosen as the parliamentary party's first whip, and held that position until entering cabinet in 1908.

Tudor served as Minister for Trade and Customs from 1908 to 1909, 1910 to 1913, and 1914 to 1916, in the governments of Andrew Fisher and Billy Hughes. He remained loyal to the Labor Party during the split over conscription in 1916, and was elected party leader after Hughes' expulsion. He replaced Joseph Cook as leader of the opposition upon the formation of the third Hughes Ministry in February 1917. Tudor led Labor to the 1917 and 1919 federal elections, on both occasions suffering heavy defeats. His death in office at the age of 55 came after a long period of ill health. He was the first leader of a major Australian political party to die in office, and was accorded a state funeral.