page_title: John Howard
section_title: Early and personal life
hierarchical_section_title: John Howard / Early and personal life
caption_attribution_description: English: Photograph of John Howard as a boy, taken in the 1940s. Howard was born in 1939. Image sourced from Sydney Morning Herald flash animation of the Howard era (link).
context_page_description: John Winston Howard, OM, AC is an Australian former politician who served as the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, in office from 1996 to 2007. He is the second-longest serving prime minister, behind only Sir Robert Menzies, and the oldest living former prime minister following the death of Bob Hawke in 2019. He was leader of the Liberal Party from 1985 to 1989 and from 1995 to 2007.
  Howard was born in Sydney and studied law at the University of Sydney. He was a commercial lawyer before entering parliament. A former federal president of the Young Liberals, he first stood for office at the 1968 New South Wales state election, but lost narrowly. At the 1974 federal election, Howard was elected to the Division of Bennelong, which he would go on to represent until 2007. He was promoted to cabinet in 1977, and later in the year replaced Phillip Lynch as Treasurer of Australia, remaining in that position until the defeat of Malcolm Fraser's government in 1983.
  In 1985, Howard was elected leader of the Liberal Party for the first time, thus replacing Andrew Peacock as Leader of the Opposition.
context_section_description: John Winston Howard is the fourth son of Mona (née Kell) and Lyall Howard. His parents were married in 1925. Howard was also known as "Jack" in his youth. His older brothers were Stanley (1926–2014), Walter (b. 1929) and Robert (b. 1936). Lyall Howard was an admirer of Winston Churchill. Howard's ancestors were English, Scottish, and Irish. He is descended from convict William Tooley, who was transported to New South Wales in 1816 for stealing a watch.
  Howard was born and raised in the Sydney suburb of Earlwood, in a Methodist family. His mother had been an office worker until her marriage. His father and his paternal grandfather, Walter Howard, were both veterans of the First AIF in World War I. They also ran two Dulwich Hill petrol stations where Howard worked as a boy.
  In 1955, when Howard was aged 16, his father died leaving his mother to take care of him.
  Howard suffered a hearing impairment in his youth, leaving him with a slight speech impediment, and he continues to wear a hearing aid. It also influenced him in subtle ways, limiting his early academic performance; encouraging a reliance on an excellent memory; and in his mind ruling out becoming a barrister as a likely career.
  Howard attended Earlwood Primary School and Canterbury Boys' High School. He won a citizenship prize in his final year at Earlwood (presented by local politician Eric Willis), and subsequently represented his secondary school at debating as well as cricket and rugby union. Cricket remained a lifelong hobby. In his final year at school he took part in a radio show hosted by Jack Davey, Give It a Go, broadcast on the commercial radio station, 2GB. After gaining his Leaving Certificate, he studied law at the University of Sydney, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1961. Howard began working for the firm of Stephen Jaques and Stephen as a junior solicitor. In 1964, he took a trip around the world, visiting Britain, Europe, Israel, India, and Singapore. After returning to Sydney in 1965, he began working for Clayton Utz, but "lacked the university grades and the social connections to be on track for a partnership". He subsequently moved to a smaller firm, which became Truman, Nelson and Howard after he was made a partner.
  Howard married fellow Liberal Party member Janette Parker in 1971, with whom he had three children: Melanie (1974), Tim (1977) and Richard (1980). John and Janette are Christians.
caption: Howard as a boy, 1940s
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