# Len Hamilton

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{{Short description|Australian politician (1899–1987)}}
{{about||the American basketball coach|Leonard Hamilton|the English army officer and cricket|Leonard Hamilton (cricketer)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix =
| name             = Len Hamilton
| honorific_suffix = 
| image            = LenHamilton1958.jpg
| constituency_MP1 = [Swan](/source/Division_of_Swan)
| parliament1      = Australian
| predecessor1     = [Don Mountjoy](/source/Don_Mountjoy)
| successor1       = [Bill Grayden](/source/Bill_Grayden)
| term_start1      = 28 September 1946
| term_end1        = 10 December 1949
| constituency_MP2 = [Canning](/source/Division_of_Canning)
| parliament2      = Australian
| predecessor2     = ''New seat''
| successor2       = [Neil McNeill](/source/Neil_McNeill)
| term_start2      = 10 December 1949
| term_end2        = 2 November 1961
| birth_date       = {{Birth date|df=yes|1899|7|7}}
| birth_place      = [Jarrahdale, Western Australia](/source/Jarrahdale%2C_Western_Australia)
| death_date       = {{death date and age|df=yes|1987|5|31|1899|7|7}}
| death_place      = 
| spouse           = 
| party            = [Australian Country Party](/source/Australian_Country_Party_(1920))
| relations        = 
| children         = 
| alma_mater       = 
| occupation       = Farmer
| profession       = 
| signature        = 
| website          = 
| footnotes        =  
}}
'''Leonard William Hamilton''' (7 July 1899 – 31 May 1987) was an Australian politician. Born in [Jarrahdale, Western Australia](/source/Jarrahdale%2C_Western_Australia), he was educated at Perth Boys School before becoming a wheat and sugar farmer. He served in the military from 1917 to 1920 and from 1940 to 1945. In 1946, he was elected to the [Australian House of Representatives](/source/Australian_House_of_Representatives) as the [Country Party](/source/National_Party_of_Australia) member for [Swan](/source/Division_of_Swan), defeating [Labor](/source/Australian_Labor_Party) MP [Don Mountjoy](/source/Don_Mountjoy). In 1949, he transferred to the new seat of [Canning](/source/Division_of_Canning), where he remained until his retirement in 1961. Hamilton later served as President of the [Western Australia](/source/Western_Australia)n branch of the Country Party. He died in 1987.<ref name=Psephos>{{cite web|last=Carr |first=Adam |title=Australian Election Archive |work=Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive |url=http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia |year=2008 |accessdate=2008-07-28 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070717093439/http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/ |archivedate=17 July 2007 }}</ref>

==Early life==
Hamilton was born on 7 July 1899 in [Jarrahdale, Western Australia](/source/Jarrahdale%2C_Western_Australia).<ref name="aph">{{Cite news |title=Hamilton, the Hon. Leonard William |url=https://handbook.aph.gov.au/Parliamentarian/KGC |access-date=23 September 2024 |work=Parliamentary Handbook |publisher=Parliament of Australia}}</ref> He was educated at [Perth Boys' School](/source/Perth_Boys'_School) and passed his junior certificate, but left school at a young age to work as a clerk, initially with a private business and later with the [Public Works Department](/source/Public_Works_Department_(Western_Australia)). He began an apprenticeship as a [fitter](/source/fitter_and_turner) at the [Midland Railway Workshops](/source/Midland_Railway_Workshops) in 1915.<ref name="lp">{{Cite news |date=1 August 1946 |title=Returned Ex-Service Political Candidates |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/257021683/28614727 |work=Listening Post |location=Perth}}</ref>

In July 1917, Hamilton enlisted in the [Australian Imperial Force](/source/First_Australian_Imperial_Force) (AIF). He served as a [sapper](/source/sapper) with the 9th Field Company of the [Australian Engineers](/source/Royal_Australian_Engineers), leaving Australia in March 1918 and returning in July 1919.<ref>{{Cite report |last=Church |first=Nathan |last2=Gobbett |first2=Hannah |last3=Lumb |first3=Martin |last4=Lundie |first4=Rob |date=19 September 2014 |title=Commonwealth Members of Parliament who have served in war: Colonial wars and the First World War |url=https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/library/prspub/3401875/upload_binary/3401875.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140922010429/http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/library/prspub/3401875/upload_binary/3401875.pdf |archive-date=2014-09-22 |access-date=23 September 2024 |publisher=Australian Parliamentary Library |page=17 |series=Research Papers Series, 2014-15}}</ref> He attained the rank of [lance corporal](/source/lance_corporal).<ref name=aph/> After returning from the war he completed his apprenticeship and work as an engineer until 1927.<ref name=lp/>

Hamilton subsequently settled in [Beacon, Western Australia](/source/Beacon%2C_Western_Australia), where he established a wheat and sheep farm. He served on the [Mount Marshall Road Board](/source/Shire_of_Mount_Marshall), including as vice-chairman for three years and chairman for one year.<ref name=lp/> He was also a founding member of the Wheatgrowers' Union and held various offices in the union.<ref name="newt">{{Cite news |date=10 March 1939 |title=The Elections: Contest for Mt. Marshall |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/251198334 |work=North-Eastern Wheatbelt Tribune |location=Wyalkatchem, Western Australia}}</ref>

In May 1940, Hamilton enlisted in the [Royal Australian Air Force](/source/Royal_Australian_Air_Force) (RAAF) as an ordinary [aircraftman](/source/aircraftman). He trained as an instructor at the [No. 1 Flying Training School RAAF](/source/No._1_Flying_Training_School_RAAF) in Victoria and was subsequently stationed in [Victor Harbor, South Australia](/source/Victor_Harbor%2C_South_Australia), and [Geraldton, Western Australia](/source/Geraldton%2C_Western_Australia). In 1942 he was transferred to the [No. 5 Aircraft Depot RAAF](/source/No._5_Aircraft_Depot_RAAF) in [Wagga Wagga, New South Wales](/source/Wagga_Wagga%2C_New_South_Wales). He later spent time with [No. 23 Squadron RAAF](/source/No._23_Squadron_RAAF) and with [No. 82 Wing RAAF](/source/No._82_Wing_RAAF) at [Balikpapan](/source/Balikpapan) in the Dutch East Indies. He was discharged from the RAAF in November 1945 with the rank of [squadron leader](/source/squadron_leader).<ref>{{Cite report |last=Church |first=Nathan |date=9 September 2016 |title=Commonwealth Members of Parliament who have served in war: the Second World War |url=https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/library/prspub/4807044/upload_binary/4807044.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf#search=%22library/prspub/4807044%22 |access-date=23 September 2024 |series=Research Papers Series, 2016-17 |publisher=Australian Parliamentary Library |page=19}}</ref>

==Politics==
Hamilton first ran for parliament at the [1939 Western Australian state election](/source/1939_Western_Australian_state_election), standing unsuccessfully as an independent in the [Legislative Assembly](/source/Western_Australian_Legislative_Assembly) seat of [Mount Marshall](/source/Electoral_district_of_Mount_Marshall).<ref name=newt/> Later in 1939, fellow independent [Claude Barker](/source/Claude_Barker) resigned from the Legislative Assembly and endorsed Hamilton as his successor in the neighbouring seat of [Irwin-Moore](/source/Electoral_district_of_Irwin-Moore). However, Hamilton declined to stand at the by-election.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/46413396|title=Assembly Seat: Mr. Barker Resigns|newspaper=The West Australian|date=3 August 1939}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/46413972|title=State By-Election: Mr. Hamilton Not a Candidate|newspaper=The West Australian|date=5 August 1939}}</ref>

Hamilton was elected to the [House of Representatives](/source/Australian_House_of_Representatives) at the [1946 federal election](/source/1946_Australian_federal_election), winning the seat of [Swan](/source/Division_of_Swan) for the [Country Party](/source/Australian_Country_Party) from the incumbent [Australian Labor Party](/source/Australian_Labor_Party) MP [Don Mountjoy](/source/Don_Mountjoy). Following a redistribution, he transferred to the new seat of [Canning](/source/Division_of_Canning) at the [1949 election](/source/1949_Australian_federal_election).<ref name=aph/>

In 1956, Hamilton was appointed a [parliamentary secretary](/source/parliamentary_secretary) in the [Menzies government](/source/Menzies_government_(1949%E2%80%931966)). He was attached to the [Department of the Interior](/source/Department_of_the_Interior_(1939%E2%80%931972)) and [Department of Works](/source/Department_of_Works_(1952%E2%80%931973)) from 1956 to 1958 and the [Postmaster-General's Department](/source/Postmaster-General's_Department) from 1959 to 1961. He also served on the Joint Standing Committee on Constitutional Review from 1956 to 1960.<ref name=aph/>

==Personal life==
In 1921, Hamilton married Adelaide Hammond, with whom he had four children. He was granted a divorce in 1947 on the grounds of spousal abandonment.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/169368234|title=Decree for M.H.R. Deserted By Wife|newspaper=Truth|location=Sydney|date=13 April 1947}}</ref>

Hamilton died on 31 May 1987, aged 87.<ref name=aph/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|au}}
{{succession box | title=Member for [Swan](/source/Division_of_Swan) | before=[Don Mountjoy](/source/Don_Mountjoy)| after=[Bill Grayden](/source/Bill_Grayden)| years=1946–1949}}
{{s-new|seat}}
{{s-ttl | title=Member for [Canning](/source/Division_of_Canning) | years=1949–1961}}
{{s-aft|after=[Neil McNeill](/source/Neil_McNeill)}}
{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Len}}
Category:1899 births
Category:1987 deaths
Category:National Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia
Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Swan
Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Canning
Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives
Category:People from Peel (Western Australia)
Category:Australian military personnel of World War I
Category:Royal Australian Air Force personnel of World War II
Category:Australian engineers
Category:Farmers from Western Australia
Category:Australian MPs 1946–1949
Category:Australian MPs 1949–1951
Category:Australian MPs 1951–1954
Category:Australian MPs 1954–1955
Category:Australian MPs 1955–1958
Category:Australian MPs 1958–1961

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Len Hamilton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Hamilton) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Hamilton?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.