The son of a storekeeper and shire councillor, Sir Robert Gordon
Menzies (1894–1978) was born in the small town of Jeparit,
Victoria. He was educated at the Humffray Street State School
and Grenville College, Ballarat, and won scholarships to Wesley
College and the University of Melbourne. He graduated in 1916
and was called to the Bar in 1918. He soon established a
reputation as an outstanding barrister, especially when he won
the Engineers Case in the High Court in 1920. He became active
in the National Party and in 1928 won a seat in the Victorian
Legislative Council. In 1929 he was elected to the Legislative
Assembly and in 1932 he became Attorney-General and Minister for
Railways in the Argyle Government. In 1934 Menzies moved to
Federal politics, winning the United Australia Party seat of
Kooyong, which he held until his retirement in 1966. He was
immediately appointed Attorney-General and Minister for Industry
in the Government of J.A. Lyons. He made his first visit to
Britain in 1935. On the death of