James Alexander Forrest upon receiving an honorary Doctor of Laws degree, 1979.
Sir James Alexander Forrest (born in Kerang, Victoria on 10 March 1905 – deceased on 26 September 1990 in Malvern, Victoria) was an Australian lawyer, businessman and philanthropist.
Biography
Family
James Alexander Forrest was the third of five children of Scottish-born parents John Forrest and Mary Forrest, née Gray.[1]
He married Mary Christina Armit (1913–1995), the granddaughter of Sir Edward Fancourt Mitchell, on 9 December 1939[2] (or 1935[1]). They had three children: Alexander James "Alex" Forrest (1941–),[3] an engineer; William John "Bill" Forrest (1944-),[4] a solicitor; and Hugh David Forrest, an agricultural scientist.[5]
In 1925, he started an articled clerk's course at the University of Melbourne; and, although this course of study did not lead to a law degree, it qualified the student as both a barrister and solicitor in Victoria. He was admitted to the Victorian Bar on 3 March 1930.[8] His admission was moved by both Robert Menzies and Wilfred Fullagar, and presided over by William Irvine, then the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria.
Career
Forrest became a prominent lawyer, specializing in corporate law. He was a partner at the firm of Hedderwicks Fookes & Alston, which later merged to become Allens Arthur Robinson.[9] His business grew thanks to his close ties with the Grimwade family, and he was eventually named a director of the Felton Grimwalde & Duerdins Ltd family holding.[1]
Jim Forrest was enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in June 1942, and discharged in September 1943.[10] He served as a Flight Lieutenant in RAAF Intelligence during his enlistment, and then worked for the Department of Aircraft Production.[11][1]
Shortly after the war Forrest took up several board directorships of Australian companies :
1945-1977: Board member of the Australian Mutual Provident Society[1]
1953-1977: Chairman of Australian Consolidated Industries[1]
