Ham Lambert

{{Short description|Irish cricketer and rugby union footballer}} {{Use British English|date=February 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = Ham Lambert | image = | caption = | batting = Right-handed | bowling = | columns = 1 | column1 = First-class | matches1 = 9 | runs1 = 213 | bat avg1 = 14.20 | 100s/50s1 = 0/1 | top score1 = 69* | hidedeliveries = true | catches/stumpings1= 5/– | international = true | country = Ireland | source = http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/26/26801/26801.html CricketArchive | date = 6 December | year = 2022 }}

'''Noel Hamilton '''"'''Ham'''"''' Lambert''' (5 June 1910 – 10 October 2006)<ref name="CAP">[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/26/26801/26801.html Cricket Archive profile]</ref> was an Irish cricketer and rugby union player. By profession a veterinary surgeon,<ref name="Obit">[http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/migration/noel-hamilton-lambert-136252.html Obituary]</ref> he was noted for being the first in Ireland to own a practice devoted to the care of companion animals.

He is buried in Schull in County Cork, Ireland. The epitaph on his gravestone reads, simply, "A Lovely Man".<ref name="Ham Lambert">[http://guidedog.web59.thomascrosbieholdings.com/files/guidelines/winter06.html "Ham Lambert"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929181631/http://guidedog.web59.thomascrosbieholdings.com/files/guidelines/winter06.html |date=29 September 2007 }}, ''Guidelines Magazine (The magazine of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind)'', Winter, 2006. Retrieved 7 June 2007.</ref>

==Veterinary career==

Ham Lambert was born into a family of veterinary surgeons. His grandfather was veterinary surgeon to three reigning monarchs, Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and King George V. His father, Bob Lambert, ran a practice which cared for the draught horses of Dublin from the turn of the 20th century until the early 1930s when working horses became less numerous.<ref name="ISFV">[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/obituaries/2006/1014/1160606618784.html "International Sportsman and Family Vet"], ''The Irish Times'', 14 October 2006. Retrieved 7 June 2007.</ref>

Ham was educated at Sandford Park School in Dublin and at Rossall School in Lancashire, England before entering the Veterinary College in Dublin in 1927. Following graduation he built up an extensive cattle practice, covering a large radius from Sallins to Malahide to Enniskerry, from a base in Richmond St in Dublin. In 1939 he visited America to learn more about the treatment of dogs and cats and in 1952 sold his cattle practice and opened Ireland's first small animal practice at Richmond St. His practice was a model of its kind and hundreds of veterinary students and graduates spent time there learning the art as well as the science of veterinary medicine.<ref name="IVJ">Marconi, Brian. [http://www.vci.ie/speck/properties/asset/asset.cfm?type=Document&id=88135CC6-94F0-0DB0-90CFB517A2218384&property=document&filename=ham_lambert2.pdf&mimetype=application%2Fpdf&app=vci&disposition=attachment "Ham Lambert, MRCVS (PDF)"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929032936/http://www.vci.ie/speck/properties/asset/asset.cfm?type=Document&id=88135CC6-94F0-0DB0-90CFB517A2218384&property=document&filename=ham_lambert2.pdf&mimetype=application%2Fpdf&app=vci&disposition=attachment |date=29 September 2007 }}, ''Irish Veterinary Journal Vol 58(9)'', September 2005. Retrieved 7 June 2007.</ref>

His was the first practice in Ireland to employ qualified veterinary nurses and until the early 1970s it was the only centre in Ireland recognised for the training of nurses by the RCVS.{{Citation needed|date=June 2007}}

He was noted throughout the profession for his early adoption of aseptic techniques and for his belief in the value of Vitamin E in the treatment and prevention of circulatory conditions. He frequently prescribed Vitamin E not just to animals in his care but their owners also.<ref name="IVJ" />

He was the official vet to Dublin Zoo for 25 years and later became its president. Ham retired officially from veterinary practice in 1979 at the age of 69, but was still seeing cases privately at his home well into his nineties.<ref name="ISFV" />

He was a longtime supporter and fundraiser for Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, serving on its board for many years.<ref name="Ham Lambert"/>

==Sporting career==

===Cricket===

A right-handed batsman,<ref name="CAP" /> Lambert played 21 times for the Ireland cricket team between 1931 and 1947,<ref name="CESZP">{{Cite web |url=http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CSTATZ/irelandall/ire159.htm |title=CricketEurope Stats Zone profile |access-date=5 January 2007 |archive-date=21 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121104110/http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CSTATZ/irelandall/ire159.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> including nine first-class matches.<ref name="FCM">[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/26/26801/First-Class_Matches.html First-class matches played by Ham Lambert] at CricketArchive</ref>

====Playing career====

Lambert made his cricket debut for Ireland against the MCC at Lord's in July 1931, scoring 45 runs.<ref name="CESZP" /> He made his first-class debut the following June, against Scotland.<ref name="FCM" /> He played against Scotland again the following year, also playing three more times against the MCC between 1933 and 1935 before he began to be a more regular part of the Irish side in 1937.<ref name="CESZP" />

In 1937, he played against Scotland, Sir Julien Cahn's XI and the MCC before two matches against New Zealand in Dublin in September. Matches against Sir Julien Cahn's XI and Scotland were played in 1938 in addition to two matches against the touring Australian team, before World War II interrupted his career.<ref name="CESZP" />

After the war, Lambert played against Scotland in 1946, before his career came to an end in 1947. That year he played four matches for Ireland, including matches against Derbyshire and Yorkshire. The match against Derbyshire was his final match for Ireland,<ref name="CESZP" /> and also his final first-class match.<ref name="FCM" />

====Statistics====

In all matches for Ireland, Lambert scored 577 runs at an average of 18.03, with a top score of 103 against Sir Julien Cahn's XI in August 1938, his only century for Ireland. He never bowled when playing for Ireland.<ref name="CESZP" />

====Family====

Ham Lambert came from a cricketing family. His father Bob also played for Ireland, as did his uncle Sep and his brother Drummond.<ref name="CAP" />

===Rugby union===

Ham also represented Ireland at rugby union, playing twice in the 1934 against Scotland and Wales<ref>[http://www.scrum.com/1200_1205.php?player=24041 Rugby Union statistics from scrum.com]</ref> before his playing career was ended by a bad knee injury.<ref>Johnston, Karl. [http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2000/0606/00060600106.html "It's 90 not out for Ham Lambert"], ''The Irish Times'', 6 June 2000. Retrieved 7 June 2007.</ref> He later became a rugby union referee, refereeing eleven Five Nations matches between 1948 and 1952.<ref>Thornley, Gerry. [http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2006/1012/1160606537579.html "Legend of many talents"], ''The Irish Times'', 12 October 2006.</ref><ref>[http://www.irishrugby.ie/6855_6360.php "Ham Lambert, 1910–2006."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071120233933/http://www.irishrugby.ie/6855_6360.php |date=20 November 2007 }}, ''IRFU'', 12 October 2006.</ref> He was regarded as one of the best referees in the post-war era.<ref name="Obit" />

Following his retirement he maintained his involvement in rugby, particularly through the Leinster Branch Association of Referees, where for more than 50 years he was both trainer and mentor for generations of referees. He was still attending meetings and assisting with the training of referees well into his nineties.<ref>[http://www.arlb.net/ham.html "Ham Lambert- An Appreciation"] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20071008181916/http://www.arlb.net/ham.html |date=8 October 2007 }}, ''Association of Referees of the Leinster Branch''.</ref> In 2005 he was awarded a special cap for his services as a referee by the IRFU at a ceremony held in Dublin.<ref>[http://www.irishrugby.ie/6855_4662.php "Commemorative Cap."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927030412/http://www.irishrugby.ie/6855_4662.php |date=27 September 2007 }}, ''IRFU'', 7 June 2005.</ref>

===Other sport===

In later years he was a keen and competitive golfer, playing regularly at Carrickmines Golf Club and winning the prize for the best front nine at the Lansdowne Rugby Club golf outing in his 90th year.<ref>[http://www.lansdownerugby.com/news/news.asp?news_id=343 "Ham Lambert Passes Away"]{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ''Lansdowne Rugby Club''.</ref> Lambert also played badminton, like his parents, and partnered with Frank Peard in the 1940s when they were both members of Ailesbury Badminton Club.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Peard|first=F.W.|title=Sixty Years of Badminton|year=1995|location=Dublin|pages=5}}</ref>

==See also== * List of Irish cricket and rugby union players

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lambert, Ham}} Category:1910 births Category:2006 deaths Category:Rugby union players from Dublin (city) Category:Cricketers from Dublin (city) Category:Irish rugby union players Category:Ireland international rugby union players Category:Irish rugby union referees Category:IRFU referees Category:People educated at Rossall School Category:Lansdowne Football Club players Category:People educated at Sandford Park School Category:Irish cricketers