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(1896-12-30)30 December 1896
Louis Francis Loder
Died11 February 1972(1972-02-11) (aged 75)
NationalityAustralia Australian
Spouse(s)Jean Arnot
(m. 1924–1972; his death)
Alma materUniversity of Melbourne
OccupationPublic servant

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.

Life and career

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Louis 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

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Loder 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

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  1. ^ 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
  2. ^ First World War Embarkation Rolls - Louis Francis Loder, Australian War Memorial, archived from the original on 27 April 2014
  3. ^ a b c "First Director". The Canberra Times. 13 December 1961. p. 14.
  4. ^ CA 50: Department of Works [II], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 27 April 2014
  5. ^ CA 52: Department of Works and Housing, Head Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 27 April 2014
  6. ^ CA 61: Department of Works [III], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 27 April 2014
  7. ^ "Mr. Louis Loder: Man from Snowy River". Gippsland Times. 12 May 1949. p. 7.
  8. ^ "New Works Chief Appointed". The Canberra Times. 14 October 1961. p. 12.
  9. ^ "Search Australian Honours: LODER, Louis Francis", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 27 April 2014
  10. ^ "Search Australian Honours: LODER, Louis Francis", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 27 April 2014
  11. ^ Louis Loder Street, ACT Government Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate, archived from the original on 28 April 2014
Government offices New titleDepartment established Director-General of the Department of Works (II) 1945 Succeeded byHimselfas Secretary of the Department of Works and Housing Preceded byHimselfas Secretary of the Department of Works (II) Director-General of the Department of Works and Housing 1945 – 1952 Succeeded byHimselfas Secretary of the Department of Works (III) Preceded byHimselfas Secretary of the Department of Works and Housing Director-General of the Department of Works 1952 – 1961 Succeeded byRonald Lewis