Alexander Downer, senior
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Sir Alexander Russell Downer (7 April 1910 - 30 March 1981), Australian politician generally known as Alec Downer, was born in Adelaide, the son of John Downer, a former Premier of South Australia and member of the Australian Senate. He was educated at a private school and at Oxford University, where he graduated in economics and political science. He practised as a barrister in Adelaide before joining the Australian Army in 1940. He served in Malaya and was a prisoner-of-war for three years.
After the war Downer joined the Liberal Party of Australia and in 1949 he was elected to the House of Representatives for a rural South Australian seat. He was Minister for Immigration from 1958 to 1963. He retired from Parliament on his appointment as Australian High Commissioner in London, a position he held until 1972. He was knighted in 1965, becoming Sir Alexander Downer. He was made a Freeman of the City of London in 1965.
Sir Alec's son, Alexander Downer, is also a Liberal politician, who was Leader of the Opposition 1994-95 and has been Foreign Minister of Australia since 1996.