Zara Bate
Encyclopedia
Dame Zara Kate Bate DBE (10 March 190914 June 1989) was an Australia
n fashion designer and wife (later widow) of the Australian Prime Minister
Harold Holt
.
Bate was born in Kew, Victoria
as Zara Dickins. She was educated at Ruyton Girls' School
and Toorak College
. In 1925, aged 19, she and her friend Bettine 'Betty' James (later the wife of Sir Roy Grounds
) established a dress shop in Little Collins Street. With another friend, she later opened a salon, called Magg, in Toorak Village. She won the 1961 Australian Gown of the Year award.
Her first husband was Colonel James Fell, by whom she had three sons, Nicholas (1937) and twins Sam and Andrew (1939). Their marriage broke down soon after the birth of the twins. They divorced, and in 1947 she married Harold Holt
, a Liberal Party
politician. He legally adopted her children and gave them his surname. Tom Frame
's biography The Life and Death of Harold Holt reveals that Holt was the twins' biological father.
Harold Holt had been a member of Robert Menzies
' Cabinet continuously since 1949, becoming deputy Liberal leader in 1956 and Treasurer
in 1958. When Menzies retired in January 1966, Holt became Prime Minister
. In December 1967, he drowned and his body was never recovered.
Zara Holt was created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire
in the Queen's Birthday Honours of June 1968, for "devotion to the public interest". In 1968 Dame Zara published My Life and Harry: An autobiography.
On 22 March 1969, Dame Zara Holt married Jeff Bate, a farmer and Liberal politician. She then became known as Dame Zara Bate. It was the third marriage for both of them.
In the early 1970s, Dame Zara promoted Maxwell House
instant coffee in television commercials.
After Jeff Bate's death in 1984, Dame Zara retired to the Gold Coast
, where she died in 1989 at age 80.
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...
n fashion designer and wife (later widow) of the Australian Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Harold Holt
Harold Holt
Harold Edward Holt, CH was an Australian politician and the 17th Prime Minister of Australia.His term as Prime Minister was brought to an early and dramatic end in December 1967 when he disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach near Portsea, Victoria, and was presumed drowned.Holt spent 32 years...
.
Bate was born in Kew, Victoria
Kew, Victoria
Kew is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara. At the 2006 Census, Kew had a population of 22,516....
as Zara Dickins. She was educated at Ruyton Girls' School
Ruyton Girls' School
Ruyton Girls' School , is a non-denominational, independent, day school for girls, located in the inner-eastern Melbourne suburb of Kew, Victoria, Australia....
and Toorak College
Toorak College, Mt Eliza
Toorak College is an independent, inter-denominational, day and boarding school for girls years 7 - 12 and co-educational from pre school to Year 6...
. In 1925, aged 19, she and her friend Bettine 'Betty' James (later the wife of Sir Roy Grounds
Roy Grounds
Sir Roy Burman Grounds , wasone of Australia's leading architects of the modern movement.-Biography:Born in Melbourne, Grounds was educated at Scotch College and then Melbourne University and worked for the architectural firm of Blackett, Forster and Craig...
) established a dress shop in Little Collins Street. With another friend, she later opened a salon, called Magg, in Toorak Village. She won the 1961 Australian Gown of the Year award.
Her first husband was Colonel James Fell, by whom she had three sons, Nicholas (1937) and twins Sam and Andrew (1939). Their marriage broke down soon after the birth of the twins. They divorced, and in 1947 she married Harold Holt
Harold Holt
Harold Edward Holt, CH was an Australian politician and the 17th Prime Minister of Australia.His term as Prime Minister was brought to an early and dramatic end in December 1967 when he disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach near Portsea, Victoria, and was presumed drowned.Holt spent 32 years...
, a Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
politician. He legally adopted her children and gave them his surname. Tom Frame
Tom Frame (bishop)
Tom Frame is an Australian Anglican bishop, historian, academic, author and social commentator.Frame was born in Stanmore, New South Wales and raised in Wollongong by his adoptive parents.-Career:...
's biography The Life and Death of Harold Holt reveals that Holt was the twins' biological father.
Harold Holt had been a member of Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
' Cabinet continuously since 1949, becoming deputy Liberal leader in 1956 and Treasurer
Treasurer of Australia
The Treasurer of Australia is the minister in the Government of Australia responsible for government expenditure and revenue raising. He is the head of the Department of the Treasury. The Treasurer plays a key role in the economic policy of the government...
in 1958. When Menzies retired in January 1966, Holt became Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
. In December 1967, he drowned and his body was never recovered.
Zara Holt was created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in the Queen's Birthday Honours of June 1968, for "devotion to the public interest". In 1968 Dame Zara published My Life and Harry: An autobiography.
On 22 March 1969, Dame Zara Holt married Jeff Bate, a farmer and Liberal politician. She then became known as Dame Zara Bate. It was the third marriage for both of them.
In the early 1970s, Dame Zara promoted Maxwell House
Maxwell House
Maxwell House is a brand of coffee manufactured by a like-named division of Kraft Foods. Introduced in 1892, it is named in honor of the Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. For many years until the late 1980s it was the largest-selling coffee in the U.S. and is currently second behind...
instant coffee in television commercials.
After Jeff Bate's death in 1984, Dame Zara retired to the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
, where she died in 1989 at age 80.