Background
Vernon Hamersley was born in Guildford, Western Australia. The son of Samuel Hamersley, he was a member of the prominent and well-connected Hamersley family.
Vernon Hamersley was born in Guildford, Western Australia. The son of Samuel Hamersley, he was a member of the prominent and well-connected Hamersley family.
He was educated at Guildford Grammar School, before continuing his studies in England at the Magdalen College School at Oxford, and the Downton Agricultural College at Salisbury.
He returned to Western Australia in 1889, spending some time on the Eastern goldfields, before farming with his father at York until 1895. He also became a part owner of Mount Barnett cattle station in the Kimberley. He would later become its chairman before retiring his membership in 1906.
In 1900 he became a Justice of the Peace, and the following year he unsuccessfully contested the Legislative Assembly seat of Toodyay as an independent.
He would be returned to the seat in the next six elections, holding the seat until his death. He joined the Liberal Party in 1911.
McCabe then petitioned the Court of Disputed Returns against Hamersley"s election, with the result that the election was declared null and void. Hamersley appealed to the full court, but the appeal was dismissed.
A by-election was subsequently held on 2 September 1916, with Hamersley winning re-election on a significantly higher turnout.
Death
He died in West Perth on 24 October 1946.
He served the longest term ever as a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council. He first became active in public life in 1899, becoming a member of the Toodyay Road Board. His term of 42 years, 2 months and 19 days remains the longest ever term as a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council.