Retirement
January 1913 Deakin retired from politics never to return. Yet some thought like Barton and Hughes that he might return after his health improved.
January 1913 Deakin retired from politics never to return. Yet some thought like Barton and Hughes that he might return after his health improved.
Barton wrote " You will return to increase the debt to you of a people so little able to understand and so little likely to discharge it, as soon as health and vigor have come back to you."
Billy Hughes writes "No one is more sincerely sorry at your withdrawal from public life than I am. Australia is the poorer for it...unless as I hope and trust and believe you will after a really good rest come back again"
Barton wrote " You will return to increase the debt to you of a people so little able to understand and so little likely to discharge it, as soon as health and vigor have come back to you."
Billy Hughes writes "No one is more sincerely sorry at your withdrawal from public life than I am. Australia is the poorer for it...unless as I hope and trust and believe you will after a really good rest come back again"
Deakin would serve the nation in a few more government roles documented in the timeline found in "His Life" section, but his former abilities and legendary capacity and memory was never to recover.
Barton wrote " You will return to increase the debt to you of a people so little able to understand and so little likely to discharge it, as soon as health and vigor have come back to you."
Billy Hughes writes "No one is more sincerely sorry at your withdrawal from public life than I am. Australia is the poorer for it...unless as I hope and trust and believe you will after a really good rest come back again"
Deakin would serve the nation in a few more government roles documented in the timeline found in "His Life" section, but his former abilities and legendary capacity and memory was never to recover.
Deakin on the steps of Parliament House Melbourne on the day of his retirement 21st Jan 1913
He retired to Ballara to his books and writing but he was no longer capable of writing his own memoirs or reflections on the establishment of the nation.
Pattie and he visited a specialist in London and New York in 1916-17 but no cure was found.
It is probable that he suffered from Alzheimer's and the cause of death was recorded as meningo-encephalitis, which is a virus in the brain.
He retired to Ballara to his books and writing but he was no longer capable of writing his own memoirs or reflections on the establishment of the nation.
Pattie and he visited a specialist in London and New York in 1916-17 but no cure was found.
It is probable that he suffered from Alzheimer's and the cause of death was recorded as meningo-encephalitis, which is a virus in the brain.
Read Perth Newspaper report on Deakin Passing
Source Trove: www.trove.nla.gov.au
Deakin was given a state funeral, his coffin was draped with the Union Jack and then buried in St Kilda cemetery.
Deakin was given a state funeral, his coffin was draped with the Union Jack and then buried in St Kilda cemetery.
Sir Edmund Barton, Billy Hughes, Sir Joseph Cook and other dignitaries seen at the burial.
Sir Edmund Barton, Billy Hughes, Sir Joseph Cook and other dignitaries seen at the burial.
