Bill Lamb | |
|---|---|
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| 21stSpeaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 28 May 1947 – 20 April 1959 | |
| Premier | James McGirr Joseph Cahill |
| Deputy | George Booth |
| Preceded by | Daniel Clyne |
| Succeeded by | Ray Maher |
| 18thMayor of Auburn | |
| In office 10 December 1934 – 16 December 1935 | |
| Deputy | Peter Herlihy |
| Preceded by | Tom Cheetham |
| Succeeded by | Peter Herlihy |
| Alderman of theAuburn Municipal Council | |
| In office 2 January 1932 – 16 October 1939 | |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Ryan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1889-01-05)5 January 1889 |
| Died | 8 January 1964(1964-01-08) (aged 75) |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch),Australian Labor Party (Non-Communist) |
William Henry Lamb (5 January 1889 – 8 January 1964) was an Australian politician. He was a member of theNew South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1938 until 1962 and a member of theNSW Branch of theLabor Party and theLang Labor Party. He was theSpeaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1947 and 1959.
Lamb was born inNyngan, New South Wales. The son of a coachbuilder, Lamb was educated to elementary level at state schools—including one at the oil shale mining village ofAirly—and from the age of 12 he worked as a grocer's boy and then as a coalminer. At age 19 he became a teacher in NSW rural schools and studied accountancy in his spare time. He was an office manager after 1927. A protégé ofJack Lang, Lamb was an alderman onAuburn Municipal Council from 1932 and was the mayor in 1935.[1][2][3][4][5][6] As mayor in 1935, he was awarded theKing George V Silver Jubilee Medal.[7] In October 1939, having moved fromAuburn toGranville, Lamb resigned as an alderman.[8][9]
At the1938 state election, Lamb was elected to the New South Wales Parliament as the Labor member for the new seat ofGranville. He defeated the sittingUnited Australia Party member,Claude Fleck. He was a supporter of Lang'sAustralian Labor Party (Non-Communist) during the party split of 1941 but did not support the later manifestations ofLang Labor.[5]
Lamb succeededDaniel Clyne as theSpeaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly after the1947 election and retained the position for twelve years. His time as speaker was characterised by his singular interpretation of standing orders and firm control, leading to frequent criticism from the opposition for inflexibility, unnecessary interjections from the chair and bias towards the government.[5] Unusually for a serving speaker, Lamb often made contributions in committee stages of bills. Controversially he even opposed some of his government's legislation, including theLocal Government (Areas) bill in 1948, calling it a "flagrant violation of the fundamental principles of the democratic system" which was a reference to the decision to amalgamateGranville Council intoParramatta instead of the other way round.[10] He received theQueen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal in 1953.[11]
Defeated in a caucus ballot for speaker in 1959, Lamb was granted retention of the "Honourable" title.[12][13] Lamb retained his seat of Granville throughout his time in parliament but lost Labor Party pre-selection prior to the1962 state election and retired.[5] He did not live long outside of politics, dying on 8 January 1964, and was buried inRookwood Cemetery.[14]
| Civic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Tom Cheetham | Mayor of Auburn 1934–1935 | Succeeded by Peter Herlihy |
| New South Wales Legislative Assembly | ||
| Preceded by | Member forGranville 1938–1962 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Speaker of the Legislative Assembly 1947–1959 | Succeeded by |