Richard Crouch

Richard Armstrong Crouch (19 June 1868 – 7 April 1949) was an Australian politician.

Crouch was born on at Ballarat East, Victoria, son of George Crouch, miner, storekeeper and later a wealthy boot-retailer from Tottenham, London, and his wife Selina Durham, née Marks, from Aberdeen, Scotland.

Crouch was elected to Federal Parliament in 1901 with a majority of 1,130 votes, as a member of the Protectionist Party and Commonwealth Liberal Party for the electorate of Corio for nine years, serving under Alfred Deakin, and was at the time the youngest member of the lower house. Crouch was a supporter of Deakin, and gained recognition as a wit and a radical. He was outspoken on the delicate matter of lavish allowances for the Governor General of Australia. Crouch enthusiastically supported new trends in Australian defence policies; however he opposed conscription. He served for another two years as a member of the Labor Party for the electorate of Corangamite, whilst James Scullin was in power. Upon his defeat, he decided to forsake politics for philanthropy, travel, writing, and encouraging Australians to take a greater interest in their history.

He was also the donor of the first six busts at Prime Ministers Avenue, and bequeathed funds for maintaining the project.

Crouch remained unmarried during his lifetime and in his later years lived with his sister Gertrude at Point Lonsdale, Victoria in the house their father had built in 1882.

Crouch died aged 80 on 7 April 1949, leaving an estate valued at 43,490 pounds and was buried at Point Lonsdale.