Alberto Garnham

Alberto Garnham Barros (1894 – 1988) was a Chilean politician who served as a minister.

He served as Minister of Economy and Commerce from July to November 1952, during the presidency of Radical Party politician Gabriel González Videla.

Family and education

Garnham was born in Valparaíso, Chile, in 1894, one of five children of Francisco Garnham Moreno and María Mercedes Barros Santa Cruz. One of his brothers, Enrique, headed the Statistics Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1941 and later worked as an economic adviser to the Ministry of Economy and Commerce.

Garnham attended the Colegio Seminario San Rafael in Valparaíso for his primary and secondary education. He then studied at the University of Chile Law School, qualifying as a lawyer in 1917 after completing a thesis on cheques.

He married Eliana Searle Huici, with whom he had two sons, Sergio and Jaime.

Political career

Garnham began his career in the public sector as secretary of the Junta Central de Beneficencia. He later worked as a lawyer for the Central Bank of Chile, Banco Sud Americano, and the Consorcio Español de Seguros, the latter two being private-sector companies. He subsequently served as a director of Banco Sud Americano, the Hotel Carrera, Cooperativa Vitalicia, and the La Trasandina insurance company.

He also taught law at the University of Chile Faculty of Law. A member of the Liberal Party, Garnham was appointed Minister of Economy and Commerce by President Gabriel González Videla on 29 July 1952. He remained in office until González Videla's presidency ended on 3 November that year.

Garnham was also a member of the Club de Viña, Sporting Club, Club de Valparaíso, and Asociación de Automovilistas de Chile. He died in Santiago, Chile, in 1988.