Henry Zwar

Henry Peter Zwar, OBE was an Australian liberal/conservative politician, local government councillor, local government head, Member of Lower House and tannery owner.

Early life

Zwar was born in 1873 in Broadford, Victoria, the younger brother of Albert Zwar. His parents, Michael Zwar and Agnes Zimmer, were Sorbs from Bautzen in Saxony, Germany, who had sought asylum after taking part in the 1848 revolution. The British government told them if they emigrated to Australia, they would be treated as British subjects, and they moved to Broadford in 1850.

Political career

Zwar was elected as a United Australia Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Heidelberg at the 1932 state election. He was re-elected four times for the United Australia Party, and regularly attended and voted in party meetings, though he did not necessarily vote the party line, claiming "conscience as the final court of appeal".
The UAP had become the Liberal Party by the 1945 election, at which an electoral redistribution abolished Heidelberg, placing Zwar in the new, notionally Labor seat of Preston, while shifting the more conservative areas of his old electorate to the new seat of Ivanhoe (Victoria)|Ivanhoe]. In October 1945, Zwar announced that he would not be an endorsed Liberal candidate for the forthcoming election and would contest as an Independent Liberal; he also stated that he did not belong to the Liberal Party and paid no party subscription. He was defeated by 143 votes by Labor candidate and Victoria Cross holder William Ruthven.

Later life

Henry and Jane Zwar lived briefly in Roseberry Avenue, Preston, before moving to nearby Gower Street, where they lived in a house named Rothesay The site is now occupied by a childcare centre.
Zwar was president of the Preston Football Club from 1926 until 1944, then served as president of the Victorian Football Association from May 1944 until 1947. Zwar Park in Preston is named in his honour, as is the adjoining Zwar Oval.
Zwar died in Kew, Melbourne, Victoria. He is buried at Preston Cemetery, as are his wife Jane Zwar and two of his three children, Herman Richard Zwar and Enid Jean Zwar. Henry and Jane's other daughter Beryl Carrick Hughes is buried at Fawkner Memorial Park, Garden Bed F, Position 28.