Editing Harold Holt (section)

== Early life ==
===Birth and family background===
Holt was born on 5 August 1908 at his parents' home in [[Stanmore, New South Wales]], a suburb of [[Sydney]]. He was the first of two sons born to Olive May (née Williams; formerly Pearce){{Efn|Holt's mother was born Olive May Williams. His maternal grandmother had remarried after the death of her first husband, James Henry Williams, and her children took the name of their stepfather, Arthur Pearce.<ref name=frame4/>}} and Thomas James Holt; his younger brother Clifford was born in 1910. His parents had married seven months before his birth, in January 1908.<ref name=frame4>{{cite book|author=Frame, Tom| author-link=Tom Frame (bishop)|title=The Life and Death of Harold Holt|publisher=[[Allen & Unwin]] / [[National Archives of Australia]]|year=2005|isbn=978-1-74114-672-1|page=4}}</ref> On his father's side, Holt was descended from James Holt, a cobbler from [[Birmingham]], England, who arrived in [[Colony of New South Wales|New South Wales]] in 1829.<ref>Frame (2005), p. 3.</ref> His paternal grandfather, Thomas Holt Sr., owned a large farming property in [[Nubba]], and was twice elected mayor of nearby [[Wallendbeen]]. Holt's father trained as a schoolteacher in Sydney and when Harold was born, worked as a physical education teacher at the [[Central Sydney Intensive English High School|Cleveland Street School]] in [[Surry Hills]]. Holt's mother was born in [[Eudunda]], [[South Australia]], and had Cornish, English, German, and Irish ancestry; her sister was the actress [[Vera Pearce]].<ref name=frame4/>

===Education===
[[File:Young Harold Holt.jpg|thumb|Holt as a young man in the 1930s|left|195x195px]]
In 1914, Holt's parents moved to [[Adelaide]], where his father became the licensee of a hotel in [[Payneham]]. He and his brother stayed behind in Sydney, living with an uncle and attending [[Randwick Public School]]. In late 1916, Holt was sent to live with grandparents in the country, where he briefly attended the Nubba State School. He returned to Sydney the following year, and for three years was enrolled at [[Abbotsholme College]], a private school in [[Killara]]; his parents separated around that time.<ref name=frame4/> In 1920, Holt began boarding at [[Wesley College, Melbourne]]. He was a popular and talented student, winning a scholarship in his final year and graduating second in his class. Holt generally spent school holidays with his relatives in Nubba or with schoolmates, rather than with his parents&nbsp;– his father had begun working as a talent agent, touring the country on the [[Tivoli circuit]], while his mother died in 1925. He was 16 at the time, and was unable to attend the funeral.<ref>Frame (2005), p. 5.</ref>

In 1927, Holt began studying law at the [[University of Melbourne]], living at [[Queen's College (University of Melbourne)|Queen's College]] on a scholarship. He represented the university in [[cricket]] and [[Australian rules football|football]], and was also active in various student organisations, serving as president of the Law Students' Society and of the Queen's College social club. Holt won prizes for oratory and essay-writing, and was a member of the inter-university debating team. He graduated with a [[Bachelor of Laws]] degree in 1930. Holt's father&nbsp;– living in London&nbsp;– invited him to continue his studies in England, but he declined the offer.<ref name=frame6>Frame (2005), p. 6.</ref>

===Legal career===
Holt served his [[articled clerk|articles of clerkship]] with the firm of [[Theodore Fink|Fink]], [[Robert Best (Australian politician)|Best]] & Miller. He was admitted to the [[Victorian Bar]] in late 1932, and opened his own legal practice the following year. However, clients during the [[Great Depression|Depression]] were scarce and frequently underpaid, so Holt lived in a boardinghouse and often relied upon the hospitality of friends.<ref name=frame6/> Drawing on his family connections in show business, he eventually accepted an offer to become secretary of the Victorian Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association, a film industry lobby group. In this capacity he appeared several times before the [[Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration]].<ref name = ADB>[http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/holt-harold-edward-10530 Australian Dictionary of Biography]. 1996</ref><ref name="frame9">Frame (2005), p. 9.</ref> This had a positive effect on his own practice, and he eventually took on two partners, first Jack Graham and later James Newman.<ref>Frame (2005), p. 13.</ref> The firm of Holt, Graham, & Newman was dissolved in 1963, following a financial dispute and subsequently reconstituted as Holt, Newman, & Holt, with Holt's son Sam as the new addition. Holt's involvement in the practice declined once he entered politics and ceased altogether in 1949, although he did not formally retire until assuming the prime ministership.<ref>Frame (2005), p. 306.</ref>