Gerard Kennedy Tucker
Encyclopedia
Gerard Kennedy Tucker was an Anglican priest in Melbourne
, Australia
.
Tucker founded the Brotherhood of St Laurence
in 1931 and the forerunner of Oxfam Australia
in 1953.
Having served as deacon to a parish in north-west Australia, he was ordained as a priest in 1914, becoming curate of St George's Malvern. On the outbreak of war he enlisted as a private soldier and sailed for the Middle East in December 1915. He was later appointed chaplain to the Australian Imperial Force, serving in Egypt and France until he was invalided back to Australia in 1917. In 1919 he published As Private and Padre with the A.I.F.
In 1920 Tucker was appointed to a parish near Newcastle
, New South Wales
, where he met Guy Colman Cox who shared his dream of a community of serving priests. In 1930 they founded the Brotherhood of St Laurence
. Its four original members pledged to remain unmarried while part of the brotherhood, to live frugally and to practise an active community life.
He was appointed as missioner to St Mary’s Mission within the parish of St Peter’s Eastern Hill in Melbourne - both he and Guy Cox licensed as curates in the same parish (1933)
Tucker moved in 1949 to Carrum Downs where he soon embarked on his new project, Food for Peace
. He encouraged residents at the settlement to contribute from their pensions to send a shipment of rice to India. Supporting groups formed throughout Australia and in 1961, as Community Aid Abroad, they became a national organization. Tucker published pamphlets in support of the project and, in 1954, an autobiography.
Tucker was honoured with an OBE in 1956. He retired to St Laurence Park at Lara, Victoria
in 1959. He moved into its first cottage where he remained until his death and was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery.
Tucker is reported to have been a member of the Eugenics Society of Victoria.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Tucker founded the Brotherhood of St Laurence
Brotherhood of St Laurence
The Brotherhood of St Laurence is an Australian not-for-profit organisation. Based in Melbourne, the Brotherhood has a national profile. The organisation's vision is for an Australia free of poverty. In working towards this vision it undertakes research and develops and delivers services and...
in 1931 and the forerunner of Oxfam Australia
Oxfam Australia
Oxfam Australia is an Australian, independent, not-for-profit, secular, community-based aid and development organisation, and an affiliate of Oxfam International. Oxfam Australia's work includes long-term development projects, responding to emergencies and campaigning to improve the lives of...
in 1953.
Life
Tucker was born in South Yarra, Melbourne and was educated at Melbourne Church of England Grammar School. From childhood he wanted to follow his father and grandfather as a priest. He worked briefly in a sugar factory and on a relation's farm, but his father finally agreed that he should study for the priesthood. In 1908 he entered St John's Theological College, Melbourne.Having served as deacon to a parish in north-west Australia, he was ordained as a priest in 1914, becoming curate of St George's Malvern. On the outbreak of war he enlisted as a private soldier and sailed for the Middle East in December 1915. He was later appointed chaplain to the Australian Imperial Force, serving in Egypt and France until he was invalided back to Australia in 1917. In 1919 he published As Private and Padre with the A.I.F.
In 1920 Tucker was appointed to a parish near Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, where he met Guy Colman Cox who shared his dream of a community of serving priests. In 1930 they founded the Brotherhood of St Laurence
Brotherhood of St Laurence
The Brotherhood of St Laurence is an Australian not-for-profit organisation. Based in Melbourne, the Brotherhood has a national profile. The organisation's vision is for an Australia free of poverty. In working towards this vision it undertakes research and develops and delivers services and...
. Its four original members pledged to remain unmarried while part of the brotherhood, to live frugally and to practise an active community life.
He was appointed as missioner to St Mary’s Mission within the parish of St Peter’s Eastern Hill in Melbourne - both he and Guy Cox licensed as curates in the same parish (1933)
Tucker moved in 1949 to Carrum Downs where he soon embarked on his new project, Food for Peace
Food for Peace
Public Law 480 also known as Food for Peace is a funding avenue by which U.S. food can be used for overseas aid....
. He encouraged residents at the settlement to contribute from their pensions to send a shipment of rice to India. Supporting groups formed throughout Australia and in 1961, as Community Aid Abroad, they became a national organization. Tucker published pamphlets in support of the project and, in 1954, an autobiography.
Tucker was honoured with an OBE in 1956. He retired to St Laurence Park at Lara, Victoria
Lara, Victoria
Lara is a residential rural suburb, 15 km north-east of Geelong, inland from the Princes Freeway to Melbourne.- History :The explorers Hume and Hovell arrived at Lara on December 16, 1824, believing that they had reached Westernport Bay...
in 1959. He moved into its first cottage where he remained until his death and was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery.
Tucker is reported to have been a member of the Eugenics Society of Victoria.