Sir Louis Francis Loder CBE (30 December 1896 – 11 February 1972) was a senior Australian public servant and policymaker. He was head of the Department of Works between 1945 and his retirement in 1961.
Sir Louis Loder | |
|---|---|
| Director-General of the Department of Works | |
| In office 2 February 1945 – 13 July 1945 | |
| Director-General of the Department of Works and Housing | |
| In office 13 July 1945 – 4 June 1952 | |
| Director-General of the Department of Works | |
| In office 6 June 1952 – 29 December 1961 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 December 1896 Louis Francis Loder |
| Died | 11 February 1972 (aged 75) |
| Nationality |  Australian |
| Spouse(s) | Jean Arnot (m. 1924–1972; his death) |
| Alma mater | University of Melbourne |
| Occupation | Public servant |
Life and career
editLouis Loder was born in Sale, Victoria on 30 December 1896.[1]
Loder served in the Australian Imperial Force during the First World War.[2]
Between 1928 and 1940, Loder was Chief Engineer at the Victorian Country Roads Board.[3] He then went on to work for Allied Works between 1940 and 1945.[3]
In 1945, Loder was appointed to be Director-General of the newly established Department of Works (later Department of Works and Housing and then Department of Works (II)).[4][5][6] In these roles, Loder was responsible for the design, costing, supervision and execution of all architectural and engineering works for the Australian Government.[1] During this time he was occupied with work that included coordinating the works of experts to establish the Snowy River Hydro-electric scheme as urgent politics, working to manage the expansion of war aircraft facilities at Mascot Airport in Sydney and managing the rocket range at Woomera.[7]
Loder retired from the Australian Public Service in 1961.[1][8] On retirement, Loder was planning a 13-month overseas holiday.[3]
Loder died in Healesville, Victoria on 11 February 1972.[1]
Awards and honours
editLoder was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June 1953.[9] He was appointed a Knight Bachelor in June 1962.[10]
In 1987, a street in the Canberra suburb of Theodore was named Louis Loder Street in Loder's honour.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Lawrence, T.F.C., "Loder, Sir Louis Francis (1896–1972)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, archived from the original on 22 December 2013
- ^ First World War Embarkation Rolls - Louis Francis Loder, Australian War Memorial, archived from the original on 27 April 2014
- ^ a b c "First Director". The Canberra Times. 13 December 1961. p. 14.
- ^ CA 50: Department of Works [II], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 27 April 2014
- ^ CA 52: Department of Works and Housing, Head Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 27 April 2014
- ^ CA 61: Department of Works [III], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 27 April 2014
- ^ "Mr. Louis Loder: Man from Snowy River". Gippsland Times. 12 May 1949. p. 7.
- ^ "New Works Chief Appointed". The Canberra Times. 14 October 1961. p. 12.
- ^ "Search Australian Honours: LODER, Louis Francis", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 27 April 2014
- ^ "Search Australian Honours: LODER, Louis Francis", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 27 April 2014
- ^ Louis Loder Street, ACT Government Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate, archived from the original on 28 April 2014