John Harold Hammond

Brief description

PER-199

Full description

John Harold Hammond was born at Bathurst on 31 May 1875, the son of Mark John Hammond and his wife Mary Anne nee Fitzpatrick. His father was later a Member of the Legislative Assembly (1884-1887). John Harold Hammond was educated at Ashfield Public School, Sydney Grammar School, and the University of Sydney (BA 1896, LLB 1898) where he won the Wigram Allen Scholarship in 1896, awarded for general proficiency in the subjects of the Intermediate Law Examination. (1)

Hammond was called to the New South Wales Bar on 4 August 1898. To supplement his income, Hammond and Colin G W Davidson wrote 'The Law of Landlord and Tenant in New South Wales', the first edition of which appeared in 1906. As well as carrying out his legal practise, Hammond lectured at the University of Sydney Law School. In 1917-18 he was acting Challis Lecturer on contracts, mercantile law and torts during the absence on military service of E M Mitchell. When Mitchell resigned in 1920, Hammond became Challis Lecturer in the Law of Contracts, Mercantile Law and Torts until 1922. In 1928 Hammond held the William Wentworth Perry lectureship in legal ethics for a year, on the invitation of the Senate of the University. (2)

Hammond was appointed a King's Counsel on 17 March 1926. (3)

In 1927 Hammond was the Chairman of the Royal Commission on Wireless established by the Federal Government. The Commission was established by Letters Patent dated 28 January 1927 to inquire and report upon any desirable alterations to the policy and practice of wireless broadcasting within the Commonwealth, and the development and utilisation of wireless services for public requirements. The Commission held fifty public sessions, as well as meetings in camera, and the report was signed in Melbourne on 14 July 1927. It recommended that the control of broadcasting stations should remain in the hands of the Postmaster General's Department. Hammond was also a member of the Broadcasting Advisory Committee in 1928. (4)

On 7 June 1929 Hammond was appointed an Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in all jurisdictions during the leave of absence of Sir Philip Whistler Street. Although the initial appointment was to be from 11 June to 10 December, it was extended on 29 November to finish on 31 December. Hammond was a member of the Council of the Bar of New South Wales in 1930/31. (5)

Like his father before him, Hammond was an alderman and Mayor of Ashfield Municipal Council. John Harold Hammond was an alderman for seventeen years and Mayor from 1915 to 1917 and in 1923. (6)

John Harold Hammond died on 20 April 1932, survived by his wife, Ella Alma nee Clarke, who he married in 1906, and one son and a daughter.(7)

Endnotes
1. Fred Johns, Who's Who in Australia, 1927-28, Adelaide, the Author, 1927, p.112; HJ Gibbney and Ann G Smith, A Biographical Register 1788-1939, Canberra, Australian Dictionary of Biography, 1987, Vol I, p.298; Mr Mark John Hammond [Former Member], New South Wales Parliament website http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/members.nsf/V3ListFormerMembers (cited 22 April 2008); University of Sydney Calendar, 1901, pp.186, 220, 281, 287, http://calendararchive.usyd.edu.au/calendar/1901/1901.pdf (cited 18 March 2008).
2. Fred Johns, op.cit; J M Bennett, A History of the New South Wales Bar, Sydney, Law Book Company Ltd and New South Wales Bar Association, 1969, pp.102-103; Barristers Admission Board; NRS 13665, Roll of Barristers, 1876-1926; Reel 2147, p.11; Sir Thomas Bavin, The Jubilee Book of the Law School of the University of Sydney 1890-1940, Sydney, Halstead Press, 1940, pp.15-17, 20; University of Sydney Calendar, 1927, p.349, http://calendararchive.usyd.edu.au/Calendar/1927/1927.pdf (cited 22 April 2008); University of Sydney Calendar, 1930, p.371, http://calendararchive.usyd.edu.au/Calendar/1930/1930.pdf (cited 22 April 2008).
3. New South Wales Government Gazette, No. 35, 19 March 1926, p.1289.
4. 'National Archives of Australia - Agency notes for agency CA 734 [Royal Commission on Wireless]', http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/AgencyDetail.asp?M=3&B=CA+734 (cited 22 April 2008); HJ Gibbney and Ann G Smith, op.cit.
5. New South Wales Government Gazette, No.77, 14 June 1929, p.2457; No.152, 6 December 1929, p.4849; New South Wales Law Almanac for 1931, Sydney, NSW Government Printer, 1931, p.55.
6. HJ Gibbney and Ann G Smith, op.cit.; 'Ashfield Municipal Council : Mayors of Ashfield', http://www.ashfield.nsw.gov.au/council/history_mayors.htm (cited 22 April 2008).
7. HJ Gibbney and Ann G Smith, op.cit.; Fred Johns, op.cit.

Notes

Chairman, Royal Commission on Wireless (Commonwealth of Australia), 28/01/1927 - 14/07/1927
Member, Broadcasting Advisory Committee (Commonwealth of Australia), 1928
Acting Judge, Supreme Court of New South Wales, 11/06/1929 - 31/12/1929
Lecturer, School of Law, University of Sydney, 1917 - 1918, 1920 - 1922, 1928
Mayor, Ashfield Municipal Council, 1915-1917, 1923