Robert Gordon Menzies was educated, by virtue of receiving scholarships, at Wesley College and later at Melbourne University where he graduated in law with first class honours. During his time at Melbourne University, Menzies contributed poetry and critical essays to the Melbourne University Magazine.
Although successful as a barrister, Menzies soon chose to pursue a political career, first in his own state of Victoria, but later in the Federal Parliament. He became Prime Minister in 1939, four months before World War II was declared. His party was defeated in subsequent elections and he remained in opposition for eight years. As leader of a new Liberal Party-Country Party coalition, Menzies achieved a resounding victory in the 1949 election. For the next 16 years he dominated the Australian political scene as a conservative, royalist Prime Minister. He retired, politically undefeated, on 26 January 1966, aged 71 years.
