Portrait of Hon Francis Michael Forde MLA

Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Francis Michael Forde (18 July 1890 – 28 January 1983) was an Australian politician who served as Prime Minister of Australia from 6 to 13 July 1945. He held office in caretaker capacity after the death of John Curtin, and is the shortest-serving prime minister in Australia’s history.

Forde was born in Mitchell, Queensland, and was a schoolteacher in Rockhampton before entering politics. Having joined the Labor Party at a young age, Forde was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly in 1917, aged 26.

He transferred to the House of Representatives at the 1922 federal election, winning the Division of Capricornia. Forde entered cabinet in 1931, serving as Minister for Trade and Customs for what would be the final year of the Scullin Government.

After Labor’s landslide defeat at the 1931 election, Forde was elected deputy leader in place of Ted Theodore. He returned to cabinet in 1941

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