Edgar Cyril Rushton
Edgar Cyril Rushton (23 November 1922 – 23 August 1992) was an Australian politician who was a Liberal Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1965 to 1988. He served as a minister in the governments of Charles Court and Ray O’Connor, including as deputy premier to O’Connor from 1982 to 1983.
Edgar Cyril Rushton was born on the 23rd of November 1922 in Denmark, Western Australia. His parents were Alfred Horace Rushton, storekeeper, and Margaret Orient Rushton nee Harrison.
Cyril attended the Denmark and Mount Barker Primary Schools, the Katanning Boys Grammar School and then became a boarder at Scotch College in Perth. On leaving college Rushton went on to study accountancy but did not complete final subjects.
On 25 January in 1947, in Katanning, Cyril and Elizabeth Melva Crouch were married. In 1949 their first son, Thomas Cyril was born. Between 1951 and 1956 Cyril and Elizabeth (Betty) had three more sons, Kim Richard, Michael and Robert and a daughter, Jane Elizabeth.
In 1976 Cyril and Elizabeth were divorced. Mr Rushton remarried a year later on 12 March in 1977, in Claremont to Jean Rachel Evans (Buttsworth?).
He served in the military during the Second World War, initially as a signaller in the Australian Army, and then as a navigator (rank leading aircraftman) in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). On returning to Australia, Rushton worked at the Bank of New South Wales, initially in country areas and then closer to Perth.
Mr Rushton served for the Armadale-Kelmscott Shire Council from November 1958 to May 1966 and was President 1964 to 1965. From the time Cyril joined the Liberal Party in 1947 he held official positions in Katanning and Kelmscott branches. He was Parliamentary Secretary of Liberal Party 1971–1974, Shadow Minister for Local Government, Chief Secretary and Women’s Interests March–April 1983; and for Works, Water Resources, Environment and the Arts September 1985–March 1986. Recognised as a “Life Member” of the Kelmscott Agricultural Society in 1990 for his contribution and dedication.
He died on 23rd August 1992 at the Nedlands Golf Club in Dalkeith and was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.