Editing Alexander Downer (section)

==Early life and education==
The [[Downer family]] has a long history in South Australian politics.  Their earliest ancestors were Mary Ann Downer (1792–1868) and her son Henry Downer (1811–1870), his great-grandfather, who travelled from [[England]] in 1862 aboard the ''Eden'', settling in Adelaide.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.wakefieldpress.com.au/files/extracts/Downers_of_South_Australia_extract.pdf |title=The Downers of South Australia | publisher = [[Wakefield Press (Australia)]]| isbn=978-1-74305-199-3| first=Alick| last= Downer|date =2021|author-link=Alick Downer|access-date=1 November 2021}}</ref> Downer's father was [[Minister for Immigration (Australia)|Minister for Immigration]] in the [[Menzies government (1949–1966)|Menzies government]] and later served as [[List of Australian High Commissioners to the United Kingdom|High Commissioner to the United Kingdom]]. His paternal grandfather, Sir [[John Downer]], served twice as [[Premier of South Australia]] in the late 19th century, and was later one of the inaugural members of the [[Australian Senate]].<ref>{{Australian Dictionary of Biography |id2=biography/downer-sir-alexander-russell-alick-12434 |title=Downer, Sir Alexander Russell (Alick) (1910–1981) |first=I. R. |last=Hancock |access-date=1 November 2021 |year=2007}}</ref> Downer's maternal grandfather was the businessman and philanthropist [[James Hay Gosse]], whose father was the explorer [[William Gosse (explorer)|William Gosse]].<ref>{{Australian Dictionary of Biography |id2=gosse-sir-james-hay-10335 |title=Gosse, Sir James Hay (1876–1952)|first=Fayette |last=Gosse |access-date=1 November 2021 |year=1996}}</ref>

Alexander Downer was born on 9 September 1951 in [[Adelaide]], [[South Australia]],<ref name="Downer aph">{{cite Au Parliament |mpid=4G4 |name=Hon Alexander Downer MP |access-date=2021-11-07}}</ref> when the family were living in the [[Adelaide Hills]] home built by his father, [[Raywood, Aldgate|Arbury Park]].<ref>{{cite web | title=The Mansion Adelaide Hills 1969 |first=Sydney| last=Oats|author2=South Australian Heritage| website=[[Flickr]] |date=12 May 2010 | quote=Info Courtesy of South Australian Heritage.| url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/57768042@N00/4599990950/ | access-date=31 October 2021}} [https://www.flickr.com/photos/57768042@N00/sets/72157623918667235/ Album]</ref> He is the third of four children born to [[Alick Downer|Sir Alexander "Alick" Downer]] and [[Mary Downer]] (née Gosse); he has three sisters.{{cn|date=November 2021}}

Downer was educated at [[Geelong Grammar School]] in Australia, then in England (while his father was High Commissioner) at [[Radley College]] between 1964 and 1970.<ref name="SunHeraldRadley">{{cite news | first = Alex | last = Mitchell | title = Radley pins its hopes on Master Downer | work = [[Sun Herald]] | publisher = John Fairfax Group Ltd | page = 30 | date = 3 June 1994  }}</ref> He subsequently completed a [[Bachelor of Arts]] in politics and economics at [[Newcastle University]] in [[Newcastle upon Tyne]].<ref name="AdvertiserShortBio">{{cite news | author = Staff writer | title = Alexander Downer | work = [[The Advertiser (Adelaide)|The Advertiser]] | publisher = [[News Limited]] | page = 44 | date = 29 August 2006  }}</ref>