John Hearman
John Hearman | |
|---|---|
| Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia | |
| In office 30 June 1959 – 23 March 1968 | |
| Preceded by | James Hegney |
| Succeeded by | Hugh Guthrie |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia | |
| In office 25 March 1950 – 23 March 1968 | |
| Preceded by | None (new creation) |
| Succeeded by | Ron Kitney |
| Constituency | Blackwood |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 November 1910 Liberal |
John Merrifield Hearman
Liberal Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1950 to 1968, representing the seat of Blackwood. He served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1959 to 1968, with only Sir James Lee-Steere
having served in the position longer.
Early life
Hearman was born in Surrey, England, to Minnie (née Merrifield) and Walter Edgar Hearman. His family moved to Western Australia when he was three years old, settling in Donnybrook. His older sister, Joan Tully, became a prominent agricultural scientist. Attending Guildford Grammar School, Hearman was a talented rower in his youth and represented Western Australia at the 1930 King's Cup (the Australian national championships).[1]
In 1939, Hearman enlisted in the
Kokoda Campaign. He reach the rank of major by the war's end and was briefly attached to the British Indian Army in 1946, as an officer in the 80th Infantry Brigade. Hearman was discharged in March 1946, and returned to his dairy farm.[1]
Politics and later life
A member of the Liberal Party from 1946, Hearman was elected to parliament at the
Country Party was his only opponent, and polled 54.6 percent of the vote.[2]
Hearman was the first sitting speaker since
James Lee-Steere having served in the position longer.[3] Hearman returned to his farm after leaving politics, and died in Donnybrook in February 1994, aged 83. He had married Millicent Jean Hardie in 1943, with whom he had two sons and two daughters.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e John Merifield Hearman – Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- ISBN 0730984095.
- ^ Speakers of the Legislative Assembly – Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 13 May 2016.