Bill Sheahan | |
|---|---|
| 37thAttorney General of New South Wales | |
| In office 23 February 1953 – 15 March 1956 | |
| Premier | Joseph Cahill |
| Preceded by | Clarrie Martin |
| Succeeded by | Reg Downing |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1895-09-03)3 September 1895 |
| Died | 27 December 1975(1975-12-27) (aged 80) |
| Party | Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch) |
| Spouse | Ellen Imelda Byrne (m.1932) |
| Alma mater | University of Sydney (LL.B. 1930) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Branch/service | Australian Army |
| Years of service | 1916–1919 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit | 17th Battalion 5th Infantry Brigade Headquarters |
| Battles/wars | First World War |
William Francis SheahanQC (3 September 1895 – 27 December 1975) also known asBill Sheahan orBilly Sheahan, was an Australian politician, elected as a member of theNew South Wales Legislative Assembly.
Born inTumut,New South Wales, the son of the publicans of the hotel atJugiong, Sheahan attended schools in Tumut andSt Patrick's College,Goulburn.[1]
Sheahan gained work as a clerk in the Crown Law Department in 1914 before enlisting in theAustralian Imperial Force in 1916, serving inFrance andFlanders. FollowingWorld War I, Sheahan returned to the Crown Law Department, working there until 1930, when he received aBachelor of Laws at theUniversity of Sydney and established a large criminal law practice. Called to the bar in 1930, Sheahan was made aQueen's Counsel in 1953.
Elected as theLabor Party member for the New South WalesElectoral district of Yass in 1941, Sheahan served in parliament until 1973 (from 1950 as the member forBurrinjuck), holding the portfolios ofAttorney-General of New South Wales, Minister for Transport and Minister for Health between 1950 and 1965. His sonTerry Sheahan succeeded him as Member for Burrinjuck.[1]
Sheahan died inSydney and was buried atJugiong Cemetery.[1][2]
In 1977, the 1,143 metres (3,750 ft) long "Sheahan Bridge", replaced thePrince Alfred Bridge nearGundagai as theHume Highway crossing of theMurrumbidgee River.[3] This bridge was duplicated in 2010.[4]
| New South Wales Legislative Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member for Yass 1941–1950 | District abolished replaced byBurrinjuck |
| New district replacingYass | Member for Burrinjuck 1950–1973 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Secretary for Lands 1947–1950 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister for Transport 1950–1953 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Attorney General of New South Wales 1953–1956 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister for Health 1956–1965 | Succeeded by |
