Clem Hawke (1897 – 1989) South Australian Congregational minister
Clem Hawke was the congregational minister of Bordertown SA, serving in this position from 1928 to 1935. His son Bob was to become prime minister.
Clem Hawke was the congregational minister of Bordertown SA, serving in this position from 1928 to 1935. His wife Ellie Lee, was a school teacher. Both were of Cornish ancestry.
The family moved to Maitland on the Yorke Peninsula, and in 1939 after the death one of their sons – 18 year old Neil Hawke, the family moved to Leederville, Western Australia.
Clem’s brother, Albert (Bert) Hawke, was Labor Premier of Western Australia for six years from 1953 to 1959.
Clem Hawke’s second son Robert James Lee (Bob) was to become prime minister.
Bob Hawke was born on 9 December 1929 at home in Farquhar Street, Bordertown SA. The family lived in the Manse of the Congregational Church.
Sources :
http://www.nma.gov.au/education/school_resources/websites_and_interactives/primeministers/bob_hawke/
http://www.library.unisa.edu.au/BHPML/Bordertown.asp
http://www.tatiara.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=334
Clem Hawke – The Age 26 December 1989
Bob Hawke talking about his father :
I just loved him and he loved me. He would read to me endlessly of when I can remember I was small and “Read me a story Dad” and he just would go on reading and reading and encourage me to read and when you have a parent that does that the response is obvious and the bond between us was just remarkable. He was a most humble man, the most decent man I’ve ever met in my life and he always looked for the best in people to find positives and he said something to me that always remained with me. He said if you believe in the fatherhood of God you must necessarily believe in the brotherhood of man, it follows necessarily and even though I left the church and was not religious, that truth remained with me.
Complete transcript : http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s2301431.htm
Material on Clem Hawke from the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Library Archival Database : http://www.archivaldatabase.library.unisa.edu.au/search/default/clem%20hawke
An image – The wedding of Clem and Ellie Hawke
http://www.library.unisa.edu.au/BHPML/bh-photos/family/fam1.asp
Three images – Clem and Bob Hawke :
http://www.library.unisa.edu.au/BHPML/bh-photos/family/fam2.asp
http://jamd.com/image/51195072
http://jamd.com/image/51194435
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Information on Albert Hawke : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Hawke
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