Ham Lambert

Infobox Old Cricketer


nationality = Irish
country = Ireland
country abbrev = Ire
picture = Cricket_no_pic.pngname = Ham Lambert
batting style = Right-handed batsman
bowling style = None
FCs = 9
FC runs = 213
FC bat avg = 14.20
FC 100s/50s = 0/1
FC top score = 69*
FC balls = 0
FC wickets = -
FC bowl avg = -
FC 5s = -
FC 10s = -
FC best bowling = -
FC catches/stumpings = 5/0
debut date = 18 June
debut year = 1932
last date = 25 June
last year = 1947
source = http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/26/26801/26801.html Cricket Archive

Noel Hamilton "Ham" Lambert (5 June 1910 in Dublin, Ireland – 10 October 2006 in County Wicklow) [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/26/26801/26801.html Cricket Archive profile] ] was an Irish cricketer and Rugby Union player. By profession a Veterinary Surgeon, [http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/migration/noel-hamilton-lambert-136252.html Obituary] ] 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 Co Cork, Ireland. The epitaph on his gravestone reads, simply, "A Lovely Man". [ [http://guidedog.web59.thomascrosbieholdings.com/files/guidelines/winter06.html "Ham Lambert"] , "Guidelines Magazine (The magazine of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind)", Winter, 2006. Accessed June 7th, 2007.]

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 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. [http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/obituaries/2006/1014/1160606618784.html "International Sportsman and Family Vet"] , "The Irish Times", October 14th, 2006. Accessed June 7th, 2007.]

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 huge radius from Sallins to Malahide to Enniskerry, from a base in Richmond St in Dublin. In the early 1940s 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.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)"] , "Irish Veterinary Journal Vol 58(9)", September, 2005. Accessed June 7th, 2007.]

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.Fact|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.

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.

He was a long time supporter and fundraiser for Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, serving on its board for many years. [ [http://guidedog.web59.thomascrosbieholdings.com/files/guidelines/winter06.html "Ham Lambert"] , "Guidelines Magazine (The magazine of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind)", Winter, 2006. Accessed June 7th, 2007.]

porting career

Cricket

A right-handed batsman, Lambert played 21 times for the Ireland cricket team between 1931 and 1947, [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CSTATZ/irelandall/ire159.htm CricketEurope Stats Zone profile] ] including nine first-class matches. [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/26/26801/First-Class_Matches.html First-class matches played by Ham Lambert] at Cricket Archive]

Playing career

Lambert made his cricket debut for Ireland against the MCC at Lord's in July 1931, scoring 45 runs. He made his first-class debut the following June, against Scotland. 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.

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.

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, and also his final first-class match.

tatistics

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.

Family

Ham Lambert came from a cricketing family. His father Bob also played for Ireland, as did his uncle Sep and his brother Drummand.

Rugby Union

Outside of cricket, he also represented Ireland at Rugby Union, playing twice for them in 1934 against Scotland and Wales [ [http://www.scrum.com/1200_1205.php?player=24041 Rugby Union statistics from scrum.com] ] before his playing career was ended by a bad knee injury. [Johnston, Karl. [http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/sport/2000/0606/archive.00060600106.html "It's 90 not out for Ham Lambert"] , "The Irish Times", June 6th 2000. Accessed June 7th, 2007.] He later became a Rugby Union referee, refereeing eleven Five Nations matches between 1948 and 1952. [Thornley, Gerry. [http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/sport/2006/1012/1160606537579.html "Legend of many talents"] , "The Irish Times", Octoer 12th 2006.] [ [http://www.irishrugby.ie/6855_6360.php "Ham Lambert, 1910-2006."] , "IRFU", October 12th 2006.] He was regarded as one of the best referees in the post-war era.

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. [ [http://www.arlb.net/ham.html "Ham Lambert- An Appreciation"] , "Association of Referees of the Leinster Branch".] In 2005 he was awarded a special cap for his services as a referee by the IRFU at a ceremony held in Dublin. [ [http://www.irishrugby.ie/6855_4662.php "Commemorative Cap."] , "IRFU", June 7th 2005.]

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. [ [http://www.lansdownerugby.com/news/news.asp?news_id=343 "Ham Lambert Passes Away"] , "Lansdowne Rugby Club".]

References