Frederick Claud Sturrock

Frederick Claud Sturrock (25 May 1882 – 4 August 1958) was a Scottish-born South African politician, businessman and engineer. He held several cabinet posts and served as a member of the House of Assembly.

Early life and family Sturrock was born in Newport-on-Tay, Scotland, to James Sturrock and his wife, Eva Leng. He attended high school and technical college in Dundee, later working as an engineer with various manufacturing and construction companies in Scotland, Midlands and London. where he founded a mining material business, which exists today as the Sturrock and Robson Group. His commercial activities expanded throughout South Africa and included shipping, coal bunkering and the citrus fruit industry.

Following the start of the Second World War and Hertzog's resignation, he joined the new Smuts' cabinet as Minister of Railways and Harbours. Because of the need for better repair facilities for ships, he oversaw the construction of the Sturrock Graving Dock in Cape Town harbour, which was named in his honour. Upon its completion in 1945, it was the largest dock of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Sturrock also served as a chairman of the Defence Authorities Committee and as a member of the Defence Advisory Committee and the Prime Minister's War Committee. He deputized Smuts as Minister of Defence during his absences abroad.

On 16 January 1948, he succeeded Jan Hofmeyr as Minister of Finance, relinquishing Ministry of Transport to Sidney Frank Waterson, but remained in office only until the United Party's defeat in the 1948 election.

Personal life and family Sturrock was a member of the British Institution of Mechanical Engineers and, after his emigration, the Transvaal Institute of Mechanical Engineers and upon the creation of the Union, helped establish the South African Institution of Mechanical Engineers. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Colonial Institute in 1911 and of the Royal Society of Arts in 1945.

Having a great love for the sea, he was an official of the Royal Cape Yacht Club and the South African Yacht Racing Association. In 1941, he was made a honorary commodore of the South African Navy.

On 12 September 1912 he married Elizabeth Isobel Robertson and they had three sons. The second son, John Leng Sturrock (1915–1967), was chairman and managing director of Sturrock Ltd. and his youngest son, Anthony Michael Sturrock (1921–?), was a journalist. His maternal grandfather was John Leng, a newspaper proprietor and politician in Scotland. His brother, John Leng Sturrock, was a newspaper publisher and Scottish MP.