John Beals Chandler

Sir John Beals Chandler (21 February 1887, Bunwell, Norfolk, England - 19 January 1962, St Lucia, Queensland) was the Lord Mayor of Brisbane from 1940 to 1952, and the Member for the Queensland Legislative Assembly district of Hamilton from 1943 to 1947.

Brisbane City Council

A councillor for Taringa shire before the 1925 amalgamation, Chandler was elected Lord Mayor in 1940 as the Citizens' Municipal Organisation candidate. He was reelected and served out 4 full terms as Lord Mayor.

Queensland Legislative Assembly

Chandler was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly district of Hamilton as an Independent in 1943. Shortly after his election, he founded the Queensland People's Party. This party later absorbed the Queensland branch of the United Australia Party, and became the Queensland branch of the Liberal Party of Australia in 1948.

Chandler retired from the Legislative Assembly in 1947.

Businesses

An electrical contractor by trade, Chandler opened an appliance store as "J. B. Chandler & Co" in Adelaide St, Brisbane in 1923. This business grew and is today the Australian chain store Chandlers. He also founded the Brisbane radio station 4BC (4 "Beals Chandler") in 1930.

The Brisbane suburb of Chandler is named after John Beals Chandler.

References

[http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A130444b.htm Australian Dictionary of Biography]