Raymond Hamilton (politician)
Encyclopedia
Raymond George Hamilton was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
between 1941 and 1950. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party
.
and was the son of a mercer. He was educated at the Gunnedah High School and Sydney Church of England Grammar School
and became an articled clerk to a firm of solicitors in Gunnedah. He also managed his father's Gunnedah Garden Theatre. He was admitted as a solicitor in 1940 and was the associate of Justice William Owen in 1941. He served with the Second Australian Imperial Force
between 1941 and 1945 and attained the rank of lieutenant. Hamilton was called to the bar in 1945 and practiced in Sydney until 1953. He then developed and was a director of a number of concrete and other construction businesses. He also owned a number of cattle properties in the Nundle
area. Hamilton was elected president of Nundle Shire Council
between 1968 and 1972.
at the 1941
state election. He replaced the retiring Country Party
member Colin Sinclair. At the election the Labor Party under William McKell
made large gains in rural New South Wales, including Namoi and this was the basis of it gaining the majority in the Assembly and forming government. Hamilton retained the seat until it was abolished by a redistribution at the 1950
election. He then attempted to gain Labor pre-selection for the seat of Bankstown which the sitting member and Premier James McGirr
had vacated to contest the new seat of Liverpool
. He was easily defeated by Spence Powell
. He did not hold party, parliamentary or ministerial offices and because of his army service, business interests and Sydney legal practice spent little time in his electorate..
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
between 1941 and 1950. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
.
Early life
Hamilton was born in Singleton, New South WalesSingleton, New South Wales
-Industry & Commerce:Major industries near Singleton include coal mining, energy generation, light industry, vineyards, horse breeding and cattle production. Dairying was once a mainstay in the area, but has declined....
and was the son of a mercer. He was educated at the Gunnedah High School and Sydney Church of England Grammar School
Sydney Church of England Grammar School
Sydney Church of England Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for boys, located in North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
and became an articled clerk to a firm of solicitors in Gunnedah. He also managed his father's Gunnedah Garden Theatre. He was admitted as a solicitor in 1940 and was the associate of Justice William Owen in 1941. He served with the Second Australian Imperial Force
Second Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
between 1941 and 1945 and attained the rank of lieutenant. Hamilton was called to the bar in 1945 and practiced in Sydney until 1953. He then developed and was a director of a number of concrete and other construction businesses. He also owned a number of cattle properties in the Nundle
Nundle, New South Wales
Nundle is a village in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. It was formerly the centre of Nundle Shire Local Government Area, but most of this area, including the village of Nundle, was absorbed into Tamworth Regional Council in 2004. The village is 400 km north of Sydney and...
area. Hamilton was elected president of Nundle Shire Council
Nundle, New South Wales
Nundle is a village in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. It was formerly the centre of Nundle Shire Local Government Area, but most of this area, including the village of Nundle, was absorbed into Tamworth Regional Council in 2004. The village is 400 km north of Sydney and...
between 1968 and 1972.
State Parliament
Hamilton was elected to parliament as the Labor member for NamoiElectoral district of Namoi
The Namoi was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1880 and named after the Namoi River. It elected two members between 1891 and 1894. In 1894 it was abolished and partly replaced by Narrabri...
at the 1941
New South Wales state election, 1941
The 1941 New South Wales state election was held on 10 May 1941. This election was for all of the 90 seats in the 33nd New South Wales Legislative Assembly and was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting....
state election. He replaced the retiring Country Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
member Colin Sinclair. At the election the Labor Party under William McKell
William McKell
Sir William John McKell GCMG , Australian politician, was Premier of New South Wales from 1941 to 1947, and was the 12th Governor-General of Australia. He was also the oldest Governor General of Australia, at 93 when he died....
made large gains in rural New South Wales, including Namoi and this was the basis of it gaining the majority in the Assembly and forming government. Hamilton retained the seat until it was abolished by a redistribution at the 1950
New South Wales state election, 1950
The 1950 New South Wales State state election was held on 17 June 1950. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1949 redistribution...
election. He then attempted to gain Labor pre-selection for the seat of Bankstown which the sitting member and Premier James McGirr
James McGirr
James McGirr was the Labor Premier of New South Wales from 6 February 1947 to 3 April 1952.A Catholic, McGirr was the seventh son of John Patrick McGirr, farmer and Irish immigrant, and Mary McGirr, whose maiden name was O'Sullivan. Born in Parkes, New South Wales, he grew up on a dairy farm near...
had vacated to contest the new seat of Liverpool
Electoral district of Liverpool
Liverpool is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian state of New South Wales in Sydney's West. It is currently represented by Paul Lynch of the Australian Labor Party....
. He was easily defeated by Spence Powell
Spence Powell
Arthur Thomas Powell was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1950 until 1962. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party ....
. He did not hold party, parliamentary or ministerial offices and because of his army service, business interests and Sydney legal practice spent little time in his electorate..