Irvin Rockman
{{short description|Australian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder |
| name= Irvin Peter Rockman
| honorific-suffix= CBE
| image=
| caption=
| nationality=Australian
| order=85th Lord Mayor of Melbourne
| term_start=1977
| term_end=1979
| deputy=
| predecessor=Donald Osborne
| successor=Ralph Angelo Bernardi
| birth_date=6 April 1938
| birth_place=Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| death_date=30 August 2010
| death_place=
}}
Irvin Peter Rockman CBE (6 April 1938 – 30 August 2010) was an Australian politician, businessman, and hotelier who served as Lord Mayor of Melbourne from 1977 to 1979.
In the early 1960s he established a chain of luxury motels known as the Parkroyal in Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane. Designed by Theodore Bertram, they were distinguished by a large parabolic arch at the entrance.Reeves, Simon, "A Tale of Two City Motels," The Australian Motel Owners' Journal, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 9-11
Rockman was alleged to have been involved in a 1988 drug smuggling scandal, but no charges were ever filed and Rockman maintained his innocence.{{cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/win-for-third-wife-but-yoda-the-dog-gets-50k-in-lord-mayors-will-20150415-1mlh5l.html|title=Win for third wife, but Yoda the dog gets $50k in lord mayor's will|work=The Age|first=Mark|last=Russell|date=15 April 2015}}
Personal life
Rockman was born on 6 April 1938 to Norman and Susie Rockman. His father's family had fled Poland due to anti-Jewish persecution, as had his mother's family, who had fled from Ukraine. They settled in Melbourne, where Norman Rockman established a chain of clothing stores, which operated under the family name. Rockman attended high school at Wesley College. He then attended the University of Melbourne, where he undertook a commerce degree. Rockman was also a well-known underwater diver.{{cite web|last=CARMAN|first=GERRY|title=Go-getting civic and business leader|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/gogetting-civic-and-business-leader-20100902-14roo.html|publisher=The Age ( Fairfax Media)|accessdate=27 August 2013|date=3 September 2010}}{{cite web|title=Fathom Guest Photographer – Irvin Rockman|url=http://fathomoz.wordpress.com/2010/08/19/issue-eight-page-1-13-irvin-rockman-pictures/|work=Fathom Vol.1 No. 8|publisher=John Harding and Roy Bisson|accessdate=27 August 2013|pages=8–11|year=c. 1972|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130827010740/http://fathomoz.wordpress.com/2010/08/19/issue-eight-page-1-13-irvin-rockman-pictures/|archivedate=27 August 2013}}
Irvin Rockman was married three times and had six children.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box|
title=Lord Mayor of Melbourne|
before=Donald Osborne|
after=Ralph Angelo Bernardi|
years=1977–1979|
}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rockman, Irvin}}
Category:Jewish Australian politicians
Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Mayors and lord mayors of Melbourne
Category:Businesspeople from Melbourne
Category:University of Melbourne alumni
Category:Deaths from cancer in Victoria (state)