People Australia

Eric Daniel Ramsay (1916-1999) boilermaker, trade union official and parliamentarian

Birth: 8 August 1916 at Lithgow, New South Wales, son of James Daniel Ramsay (1884-1967), a labourer, born at Hartlepool, Durham, England, and native-born Ethel, née Lamb (1889-1971). Marriage: 25 February 1939 at St Michael’s Anglican Church, Wollongong, NSW, to native-born Kathleen Theresa Moon. They had two daughters and one son. Death: 4 April 1999 at Wollongong, NSW. 

• Educated at Lithgow High School.
• Full-time secretary Blacksmiths' Society of Australia (NSW Branch) for eighteen years and member of Wollongong branch. President of the Boilermakers and Blacksmith's Society of Australia (NSW branch) for fourteen years.
• Joined Australian Labor Party in 1955 (or 1952?). President of Balgownie Branch ALP for ten years. Vice-president Wollongong Electorate Council. President of South Coast Labour Council from 1956 to 1971.
• Elected to the Legislative Assembly of NSW for seat of Wollongong on 13 February 1971. Left parliament on 5 March 1984. Frank Arkell, an independent, succeeded him.
• Life member, ALP NSW branch in 1994, nominated by Balgownie branch ALP, Colin Markham MP.
• Played first grade cricket for various Illawarra teams for thirty years; coached Balgownie junior soccer teams for fifteen years; coached Balgownie junior cricket teams for twenty years; trustee NSW Federation Soccer Clubs. Life member of Balgownie Soccer Club and president for twenty years, Life member of Balgownie Cricket Club and president for twenty-five years.
• Vice-president Wollongong-Kembla Apprentice Week for fifteen years. Member of Technical College Advisory Council for ten years. 

Sources
Labor Year Book, 1973 p 177; (Information in alphabetical list attached to BRALM files in Noel Butlin Archives, ANU).