Family History
Line 1 Bathurst/NSW (your line)
Line 2 Victorian/Melbourne
Virginia Hamor branch
Convict Transportation
The Hamers have been in Australia for
years
(since Andrew Hamer arrived at Port Jackson aboard Brothers in 1841)
.
The Hamer Family Legacy
The Hamer family has a rich history spanning centuries, with roots tracing back to Lancashire, England, and eventual migration to Australia in the mid-19th century.
Early Origins & Medieval Records (1190s-1400s)
The Hamer family name can be traced back as far as the Third Crusade period, with the earliest documented record being John de Heymer, Lord of the Manor of Hamer in the 1190s during the reign of Richard I (Richard the Lionheart). The family name originates from the hamlet of Hamer near Rochdale in Lancashire, England, with medieval records showing multiple spelling variations including de Hamer, de Hamore, Hamor, Heymer, and Hamore—the "de" simply meaning "of" (as in "of Hamer"). According to Geoffrey Hamer's research in "A History of Hamer, the Origins of the Name and a Lancashire Family", of the 9,000+ Hamers recorded, approximately 75% came from Lancashire, and of those recorded before 1600, 90% came from the Rochdale and Bury areas.
The name's etymology likely derives from the local geography around the hamlet of Hamer on Hey Brook near Rochdale. The primary derivation is from the Old English pre-7th century word "hamor" meaning "rock," "cliff," or "crag." Alternative theories suggest the Anglo-Saxon "ham" (home/house) combined with "hay," references to "Hay Moor" or "Hey Mere" (a small lake formed by Hey Brook waters), an occupational origin meaning "maker or seller of hammers," or possibly from an old Saxon forename connected to Thor (the Germanic name for Thor was "Hamar"), suggesting ancient warrior heritage.
Key medieval records include:
- John de Heymer (1190s) - Lord of the Manor of Hamer during the reign of Richard I. Some sources date the first documented Pipe Rolls record to 1273 during Edward I's reign.
- Richard Hamer (1296) - Appears in the Sussex Subsidy Rolls, suggesting multiple branches across England.
- Robert de Hamer (1380-1381) - Taxed on land in Hundersfield (Honorsfield) during Richard II's reign. His son was Henry de Hamer, who had two sons: Henry de Hamer and Bernard Heymar, both of Honorsfield.
- "John of the Hamore" (1401) - Appears in Lancashire Assize Rolls.
- Thomas de Hamer (1488) - Son and heir of Henry de Hamer of Honorsfield, mentioned in records from Henry VII's reign.
Royal Connection: A document from the late 1470s indicates that a Hamer was a cousin of the boy-king Edward V, one of the Princes in the Tower allegedly murdered in 1483 by their uncle Richard III. Through his mother Elizabeth Woodville, Edward V was descended from King John.
The Crusades: John de Heymer held the Manor of Hamer during the reign of Richard I "the Lionheart" (1189-1199), whose Third Crusade (1189-1192) defined the era. While there is no direct evidence that John de Heymer personally crusaded, he held his lordship during exactly this period. As a Lord of the Manor, he would have been expected to contribute men, funds, or both to Richard's military campaigns. The family's later martial tradition — from medieval Lancashire through to the Jamestown colony, Gallipoli, Tobruk, and Afghanistan — may trace its roots to this era.
Scottish Royalty Connection (unverified): Through the Mackenzie/Nicholson lines on the Gillings maternal side, the family tree on FamilySearch connects to Lady Margaret Fleming, Countess of Atholl (~1536-1586) — a lady-in-waiting to Mary, Queen of Scots, who was rumoured to be involved in the occult. She was the granddaughter of King James IV of Scotland. If verified, this would connect the family to the House of Stewart and ultimately to Robert the Bruce. This connection requires primary source verification of every link in the chain. (Source: Wikipedia - Margaret Fleming)
(Sources: House of Names - Hamer Family Crest, Our Relatives - The Hamer Family, SurnameDB - Hamer)
The Hamer Hall Line (1500s-1600s)
Hamer Hall was the family seat of the de Hamers, one of the oldest families in Lancashire, having received the property during the reign of King Richard II in the 14th century. The family held the manor and attached property for over 500 years.
- Giles Hamer (d. ~1515) - In 1515, the Bishop of Chester appointed "Ann as guardian of Giles Hamer's children" (Samuel, Elleze, and Abraham), indicating established family prominence.
- Henry Hamer (d. 1572-73) - Yeoman, brother of Giles Hamer of Hundersfield. Held Hamer Hall and owned a water corn mill. His will (18 January 1572-3, proved Chester 12 May 1573) mentions sons Ellis and Gyles, with daughters Alice, Sarah, Rebecca, and Judith marrying into neighboring families including the Buckleys and Haworths.
- Thurstan Hamer (fl. 1574) - Living in Hamer Hall in 1574. Thurstan Haymer was also an agent for wool in the King's Markets of Lancashire, suggesting the family were well established in the woollen trade.
- Samuel Hamer (fl. 1591) - Brother of Edmund, held Hamer Hall with one garden, one orchard, eighty acres of land, twenty acres of meadow with common pasture and tarbury, two messuages and one Water Corn Mill (deed dated 1591).
- Edmund Hamer of Hamer Hall (d. 1598) - His young heir Samuel inherited substantial property leased from John Holt and Sir John Byron.
(Source: Our Relatives - The Hamer Family)
Academic Tradition & The Oxford Hamers
By 1566, Henry, Ralph, James, William, and Thomas Hamer appear in Manor Court Records as married family heads, showing the family's expansion. The family has a distinguished history of academic achievement:
- Samuel Hamer - Graduated from Oxford University (Brasenose College) in 1593 (Bachelor of Arts) and 1596 (Master of Arts), becoming a Fellow. This represents significant upward mobility for the family.
- James Hamer - Followed in academic tradition, earning degrees including Bachelor of Divinity in 1669 and becoming master of Magdalene College school.
(Source: Our Relatives - The Hamer Family)
The Virginia Branch — Founding of America (1500s-1600s)
A branch of the de Heymer family appears to have left Lancashire for London and then the New World. FamilySearch traces a line from John de Heymer (b. 1461) through his son Roger Hamor (1490-1544) — note the spelling shift from "de Heymer" to "Hamor." Roger's grandson Ralph Hamor Sr (1552-1615) was christened at St Nicholas' Chapel, London, and was a member of the Company of Merchant Taylors. He married Mabell Loveland in 1578 at Saint Nicholas Acons, London, and had seven children including:
- Captain Ralph Hamor Jr (1584-1626): Virginia Secretary of State of Virginia (1611-1614), one of the most important early Jamestown colonists. He appeared on the Second Virginia Charter (1609) alongside his father. Shipwrecked on Bermuda with Sir Thomas Gates, reached Virginia May 1610. During the devastating March 1622 Indian attack, Ralph and his brother Thomas "fought back and evacuated the surviving settlers to Jamestown Island." Author of "A True Discourse of the Present State of Virginia" (1614). Held 750+ acres including land on Hog Island and at Blunt Point. (Source: WikiTree - Ralph Hamor)
- Thomas Hamor (1585-1622): Virginia Also in Virginia; killed during the 1622 Indian attack while building homes at Warresqueak (later Isle of Wight).
The connection between this London-based Hamor family and the Lancashire Hamer Hall line remains under investigation. The shared Brasenose College, Oxford connection (Samuel Hamer graduated 1593; Ralph Hamor Sr matriculated 1605/06) and the de Heymer ancestry on FamilySearch suggest a common origin, but primary source verification is needed. The spelling variations across Roger and Jane's twelve children — Haimor, Heymor, Hamor, Haymor, Heymer — perfectly demonstrate the fluidity of the name during this period. (Sources: FamilySearch - Ralph Hamor, 13 sources attached)
Migration to Bolton & Bradshaw (1560s-1800s)
Around the 1560s, Hamers began settling at Bradshaw near Bolton. This migration may have been connected to Henry VIII's invitation for people from Rochdale Parish to settle in the forests of Tottington to clear trees for sheep grazing to supply the Rochdale woollen mills where the Hamers already had a foothold. Thurstan Hamer, or one of his sons, may have been among the first to migrate to the Bradshaw area—Buckden and Shillingbottom are near Bradshaw.
The Bolton Line (direct ancestors to Australia):
- Richard Hamer (weaver) married Ann Rainford at Bolton Parish Church on 14 November 1781—direct ancestors of Andrew Hamer who emigrated to Australia.
- John Hamer (9 August 1777 - ?) - Son of Samuel Hamer and Nancy Hodgkinson, christened 11 September at Bank St. Presbyterian church, Bolton. Married Jane Bentley on 15 April 1800 in Bolton Le Moors.
- Robert Hamer (b. ~1680 in Bury) - Married Elizabeth Towne on 11 August 1706 in Bury. Died 15 November 1750.
- Thomas Hamer (1786-1857) - Married Mary Briggs in 1808 and lived at Black Horse Street, Bolton, during the industrial expansion. His sons Andrew, Michael, and Jonathan emigrated to New South Wales between 1840-1853, establishing the Australian branch.
(Sources: Our Relatives - The Hamer Family, WikiTree - Hamer Genealogy)
Distinct Hamer Lines to Australia
Research has identified at least six distinct Hamer family lines that arrived in Australia independently between 1841 and the early 1900s. While most trace their origins to the Bolton/Rochdale area of Lancashire, they were separate families who shared the same geographic origin centuries earlier. As Andrew Hamer of Lancashire noted on the Hamer Family Genealogical Forum (2000): "All Hamers are not necessarily descended from the original Lord of the Manor of Hamer, since ordinary people working on the estate did not have surnames in the centuries immediately following the Conquest, and they therefore identified themselves by using the name of the manor on which they were employed."
| Line |
Route |
Year |
Type |
Ship |
| 1. Bathurst/NSW |
Bolton → Bathurst, NSW |
1841 |
Free settler (assisted) |
Brothers |
| 2. Victorian/Melbourne |
Bolton → London → Melbourne |
1883 |
Free settler |
SS Wairarapa (via NZ) |
| 3. John Hamer Convict |
Little Bolton → Tasmania |
1843 |
Convict (7 yrs) |
Emerald Isle |
| 4. Henry Hamer Convict |
Yorkshire → Tasmania |
1843 |
Convict (10 yrs) |
Cressy |
| 5. Joseph Hamer Convict |
Cheshire → Tasmania/Norfolk Is. |
1845 |
Convict (life) |
David Malcolm |
| 6. John Hamer |
Unknown → South Australia |
1855 |
Free settler |
Admiral Boxer |
Lines 1 and 2 are the most prominent and well-documented. Both originate from Bolton le Moors, Lancashire, but genealogical research confirms they are separate families with no documented direct connection. Sources: Our Relatives, WikiTree, ConvictRecords.com.au, House of Names
Line 1 The Bathurst/NSW Line (1841) — Queen Charlotte's Vale Pioneers
Andrew and Sarah Hamer represent the most successful early settlers who established the distinguished family line in Australia. Escaping the poverty, typhus epidemics, and threat of starvation in Bolton during the 1840s, they departed Liverpool on 14 September 1840 aboard the sailing ship Brothers (425 tons, built at Whitby, Yorkshire, 1815). Shipping records show Andrew was 29 years old, occupation listed as Baker, while Sarah was 25, listed as Dressmaker. Both were recorded as Protestants who could read and write. Taking advantage of the Assisted Migration program sponsored by A B Smith and Company, they arrived in Port Jackson in 1841 with their daughter Alice (baptised in Bolton Parish, July 14, 1839) during the peak year for assisted immigrants. (Source: Our Relatives - The Hamer Family)
Andrew quickly secured fertile river flat land on Queen Charlotte's Vale Creek, about six and a half miles south of Bathurst (Lots 18 and 19 of the Wardell Estate). He initially built a crude wattle and daub hut for his family and began clearing the gum trees. However, after the great flood of 1844 demonstrated the vulnerability of the river flat, Andrew wisely moved fifty feet higher up the hill and constructed a more substantial wattle and daub house with brick chimneys around 1845.
The Andrew and Sarah Hamer line became the most prominent, being part of a select group of five families who settled in the Bathurst district in Queen Charlotte's Vale and Campbell's River area. Andrew successfully transitioned from his English trade as a weaver to become a baker/farmer, establishing a subsistence farm growing oats, potatoes, and maintaining an orchard that would support the generations who would become political leaders, military heroes, and distinguished citizens.
DVA records from the Second World War reveal the scale of the Bathurst Hamer family's contribution. At least twelve members served from the Central West NSW region alone, including those born in Perthville, Bathurst, Orange, and Blayney. Herbert Hamer (N272454, b. Perthville 1891) saw both his children — Eva Agnes Hamer (RAAF, 106947) and Edward Nathaniel Hamer (NX174930) — enlist for service. Herbert's own father was Elias Hamer, documented in his WWI service record (Service No. 1693, enlisted Bathurst). (Source: DVA Nominal Rolls, National Archives of Australia)
Line 2 The Victorian/Melbourne Line (1883) — The Premier's Family
This is a separate family line from the Bathurst Hamers. The Victorian line traces to Samuel Hamer (b. 1809, Bolton le Moors, Lancashire), a grocer and tea dealer who moved from Bolton to London in the 1840s. Samuel married Mary Jones (b. 1821, New Bolton, Lancashire) in 1843. Their son Reverend Daniel Jones Hamer (b. 1844, London; d. 7 March 1886, Melbourne) was a Congregational minister appointed pastor of the Collins Street Independent Church in Melbourne.
Daniel brought his family to Australia aboard the SS Wairarapa, arriving in Melbourne on 7 March 1883 via New Zealand. His children were Ethel Hamer (b. 1868, Manchester) — who later married George Swinburne, founder of Swinburne Technical College (now Swinburne University of Technology) — and Hubert Ralph Hamer (b. 16 August 1870, Manchester). Daniel died in 1886 after just four years of ministry, leaving 15-year-old Hubert already enrolled at Scotch College. Hubert was admitted as a solicitor in December 1892 and became senior partner at Messrs Smith and Emmerton at 480 Bourke Street. (Sources: WikiTree - Hubert Ralph Hamer, The Argus Obituary, 10 May 1948)
Hubert married Elizabeth Anne (Nancy) McLuckie (b. 1890, daughter of James McLuckie of Beechworth, Victoria) on 3 August 1915. Their four children each distinguished themselves in extraordinary ways — an unprecedented concentration of achievement in one family:
- Sir Rupert James "Dick" Hamer AC, KCMG, ED (1916-2004) — 39th Premier of Victoria
- Alan William Hamer (1917-2012) — Victoria's Rhodes Scholar (1938), Managing Director of ICI Australia
- Professor Alison Mary Houston Patrick (nee Hamer) (1921-2009) — First woman head of History Department, University of Melbourne
- Captain David John Hamer AM, DSC (1923-2002) — RAN officer, Liberal Senator for Victoria (1978-1990)
Why they are a separate line: Samuel Hamer's parents are unidentified in genealogical records. He does NOT appear among the documented children of Thomas Hamer (b. 1786) who fathered the Bathurst line. The Victorian line went Bolton → London → Manchester → Melbourne, while the Bathurst line went Bolton → Liverpool → Sydney. Both share deep Lancashire roots but diverged centuries earlier, as one of the six or more separate Hamer families documented in Bolton parish records from the 16th century onwards. (Source: WikiTree - Samuel Hamer, Our Relatives)
Academic & Professional Excellence
The Hamer family's commitment to education and excellence spans generations:
- Professor Alison Patrick Line 2 (nee Hamer) (24 March 1921 - 16 March 2009): Internationally recognized authority on the French Revolution and pioneer in the field. Senior member of the Department of History at the University of Melbourne for forty years, where in 1977 she became the first woman elected head of the department. Her PhD thesis became The Men of the First French Republic (1972), regarded as the standard examination of political alignments at the height of the French Revolution in 1792-93. Initiated the bi-annual George Rude Seminars (first held 1976), providing a forum for dialogue among senior scholars worldwide. Elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities. Born in Kew, Victoria, she was occasionally tutored in history as a schoolgirl by the young Manning Clark, later one of Australia's most distinguished historians.
- Alan William Hamer (1917-2012): Line 2 Victoria's Rhodes Scholar in 1938, achieving first-class honours in chemistry at Oxford University (Magdalen College, 1938-41). The third Geelong Grammarian in four years to receive the Rhodes Scholarship. Distinguished industrial chemist and businessman who served as executive director (1959-68) and managing director/deputy chairman of ICI Australia and New Zealand (1971-79), and chairman/managing director of ICI India (1968-71). During WWII, he was designated a non-combatant to use his chemistry knowledge for the war effort, working on neutralising carbon monoxide to save bomber crews from being poisoned, and later designing a plant for synthesising phenothiazine from diphenylamine. Federal government science adviser who helped establish Australia's giant radio telescope at Forbes, contributing to the moon landing program. Fellow of the Royal Society of Victoria, Royal Australian Chemical Institute, and Australian Academy of Technical Sciences. President of both the Melbourne Club and the Royal Melbourne Tennis Club. Described as "the epitome of Wordsworth's 'happy warrior'" and a true Renaissance man. (Source: Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation)
- Clive Arthur Hamer AM (Service No. NX141383/N276632) Line 1 (4 October 1923 - 1 May 2015): Distinguished educator born at Perthville, near Bathurst, NSW. Educated at Perthville Primary School and Bathurst High School (School Captain 1940), then Sydney Teachers' College (President of the Students' Representative Council 1950). MA Honours in English from University of Sydney. Served as Private with 2 Advanced Ordnance Depot (1942-1946). Teacher and headmaster including Deputy Head at Wolaroi College, Orange (1957-1962) and Headmaster of Wesley College, Perth (1965-1983). Served as Mayor of Orange (1962). Awarded Order of Australia (AM) in 1985. Author of "Hope of the Vale" (1985, revised 1995), a comprehensive 823-page family history documenting five pioneer families including the Hamers who settled in Queen Charlotte's Vale, NSW. Buried in Perthville General Cemetery. (Sources: DVA Nominal Rolls, National Library of Australia, The Orange Wiki)
- Thomas Hamer (1846-1896): Line 1 Prominent citizen of Orange, NSW, a leading butcher and businessman with multiple shops, owned 823 acres of land, and served as Alderman (1893-1894). His eldest son Thomas Hamer (1870-1928) continued the family business with a butcher's shop on the Bathurst road at East Orange. (Source: Centenary of WW1 in Orange)
- Hubert Ralph Hamer Line 2 (16 August 1870 - 9 May 1948): Father of Sir Rupert, David, Alan, and Alison. Born in Manchester, England, he arrived in Melbourne in 1882. Educated at Scotch College and Melbourne University, he was admitted as a solicitor in December 1892 and became senior partner at Messrs Smith and Emmerton, solicitors, Melbourne. Served as ex-President of the Law Institute of Victoria, Vice-President of the Metropolitan Rifle Association, Treasurer of Swinburne Technical College, and Honorary Solicitor for the Children's Hospital, Talbot Colony, Girls Guides Association, and Maternity Patients Aid Society. Married Elizabeth Anne (Nancy) McLuckie (a trained nurse, daughter of James McLuckie of Beechworth, Victoria) on 3 August 1915. (Source: The Argus - Obituary, 10 May 1948)
- Educational Legacy: Hubert Hamer served as Treasurer of Swinburne Technical College (now Swinburne University of Technology), founded by George Swinburne. George Swinburne married Ethel Hamer (daughter of Rev. D. J. Hamer, former Minister of the Collins Street Independent Church) in 1890, representing another branch of the extended Hamer family's connections to Australian education.
Military Service Heritage
The Hamer family has a proud tradition of military service spanning from the Boer War to modern conflicts. DVA Nominal Rolls and National Archives records document over 80 Hamers who served across the Boer War, both World Wars, and the Global War on Terror. The tables below organize verified service records by conflict and family line where identifiable.
Boer War (1899-1902)
| Name |
Service No. |
Unit |
Theatre |
Birthplace |
| Arthur Hamer | 1557 | AIF (enlisted Brisbane) | South Africa | Manchester, England |
| G Hamer | 239 | 3rd QLD Mounted Infantry | South Africa — Rhodesia, western Transvaal (Koster River), northern Transvaal (Rhenoster Kop) | Unknown |
World War I (1914-1918)
| Name |
No. |
From |
Theatre |
Line |
| Arnold Hamer | 505 | Orange, NSW | Western Front | L1 |
| Herbert Hamer | 1693 | Perthville, NSW | Western Front | L1 |
| Thomas Hamer (KIA) | 3167 | West Maitland | Belgium (Polygon Wood) — KIA 24 Sep 1917 | Hunter V. |
| Michael Hamer | 1312 | West Maitland | Western Front | Hunter V. |
| William George Hamer | 3059 | West Maitland | Western Front | Hunter V. |
| Joseph Hamer (KIA) | 1321 | Lancashire | Gallipoli, France (Assevillers) — KIA 1 Sep 1918 | Ashton |
| Thomas Hamer | 3788 | Bolton, ENG | Western Front | Lancashire |
| Richard Hamer | 134 | Bury, England | Melbourne | Wife: Mary Helen | Lancashire |
| William Hamer | 3654 | Manchester, England | Melbourne | Wife: C M | Lancashire |
| James Hamer | 3758 | Lancashire, England | Melbourne | Tatham John | Lancashire |
| Wilfred Hamer | 1670 | Littleborough, England | Dubbo | Wife: Katherine | Lancashire |
| John Hamer (alias Herbert) | 4803 | Lancashire, England | Casula | Mother: Annie | Lancashire |
| Frederick William Hamer | 644 | Dugandan, QLD | Brisbane | Father: Conrad | QLD |
| Harry Embrey Hamer | 1062 | Newtown, Wales | Kensington | Brother: John Edward | Welsh |
| Charles Edmund George Hamer | 2334 | Hobart, TAS | Claremont | Wife: Paulice C | TAS |
| Joseph Charles Edmund Hamer | 555 | Penguin, TAS | Claremont | Child: Joseph Charles | TAS |
| Joseph Ernest Hamer | 2948 | Hobart, TAS | Brisbane | Louisa | TAS |
| James Alfred Hamer | Depot | Rhayader, Wales | Newcastle | Hamer J | Welsh |
Source: National Archives of Australia, Series B2455. Rows highlighted blue indicate confirmed Bathurst/NSW line.
World War II (1939-1945) — DVA Nominal Roll: 63 Hamers Served
| Name |
Service No. |
DOB |
Birthplace |
Service |
Line |
| Bathurst/Perthville/Orange/Blayney — Line 1 |
| Arnold Hamer | W242964 | 1 Aug 1879 | Orange, NSW | Army | Bathurst |
| Herbert Hamer | N272454 | 16 Feb 1891 | Perthville, NSW | Army | Bathurst |
| Cecil Wright Hamer | N75500 | 16 Jun 1899 | Penrith, NSW | Army | Bathurst |
| Richard Gladstone Walkom Hamer | N348346 | 20 Jan 1899 | Blayney, NSW | Army | Bathurst |
| Thomas Douglas Larnach Hamer | 137282 | 4 Aug 1904 | Blayney, NSW | RAAF | Bathurst |
| Sidney Joseph Hamer | NX85992 | 13 Nov 1910 | Orange, NSW | Army | Bathurst |
| Harold Hamer Hamer | NX32961 | 16 Mar 1911 | Bankstown, NSW | Army | Bathurst |
| Ralph Henry Hamer | NX32095 | 19 Jul 1913 | Bathurst, NSW | Army | Bathurst |
| Bruce Maxwell Hamer | N195523 | 11 May 1917 | Blayney, NSW | Army | Bathurst |
| Eva Agnes Hamer | 106947 | 12 Sep 1921 | Bathurst, NSW | RAAF | Bathurst |
| Edward Nathaniel Hamer | NX174930 | 24 Dec 1922 | Bathurst, NSW | Army | Bathurst |
| Clive Arthur Hamer AM | NX141383 | 4 Oct 1923 | Perthville, NSW | Army | Bathurst |
| James Gordon Hamer | 164681 | 14 Jun 1926 | Bathurst, NSW | RAAF | Bathurst |
| Victorian/Melbourne — Line 2 |
| Sir Rupert James Hamer AC KCMG ED | VX13528 | 29 Jul 1916 | Melbourne, VIC | Army | Victorian |
| Denis Lawton Hamer | VX53033 | 1 Jan 1920 | Clifton Hill, VIC | Army | Victorian |
| Horace William Hamer | VX103338 | 10 Jun 1921 | Kew, VIC | Army | Victorian |
| Lindsay Alfred Hamer | 117737 | 11 Jun 1923 | Kew, VIC | RAAF | Victorian |
| Captain David John Hamer AM DSC | N/A (RAN) | 5 Sep 1923 | Melbourne, VIC | RAN | Victorian |
| Thomas Wilfred Hamer | VX81791 | 1 Mar 1923 | Ballarat, VIC | Army | Victorian |
| Thomas Eric Hamer | VX51621 | 23 Mar 1913 | Carnegie, VIC | Army | Victorian |
| William Keith Hamer | VX29315 | 12 Oct 1909 | Port Melb, VIC | Army | Victorian |
| George Robert Hamer | VX116291 | 2 Jun 1907 | Avoca, VIC | Army | Victorian |
| Sydney William Hamer | V6093 | 19 May 1905 | Avoca, VIC | Army | Victorian |
| William Alfred Hamer | 53368 | 22 Feb 1924 | Northcote, VIC | RAAF | Victorian |
| Reginald George Hamer | 167066 | 17 Dec 1926 | Carlton, VIC | RAAF | Victorian |
| Peter James Hamer | VX92176 | 7 Jul 1919 | Johannesburg, SA | Army | Victorian |
| Hunter Valley / West Maitland |
| Michael Joseph Hamer | NX20507 | 15 Jun 1900 | West Maitland, NSW | Army | Hunter Valley |
| Edward Alfred Hamer | 8559 | 3 Nov 1907 | West Maitland, NSW | RAAF | Hunter Valley |
| Other NSW |
| Arthur Henry James Hamer | NX68782 | 21 Sep 1903 | Sydney, NSW | Army | — |
| Coral Isabell Hamer | NF466032 | 2 Oct 1923 | Sydney, NSW | Army | — |
| Ernest Charles Hamer | NX168997 | 26 Apr 1924 | Sydney, NSW | Army | — |
| Edward Henry Hamer | NX164666 | 12 Feb 1924 | Sydney, NSW | Army | — |
| Harold Anthony Hamer | 35747 | 13 Jun 1922 | Lindfield, NSW | RAAF | — |
| Keith Hamer | N375800 | 23 May 1912 | Petersham, NSW | Army (VDC) | — |
| Lawrence Leslie Hamer | NX120549 | 14 Jan 1921 | Balmain, NSW | Army/RAAF | — |
| Leonard Henry Hamer | N205241 | 31 Mar 1921 | Adamstown, NSW | Army | — |
| Richard Hamer | NX14418 | 15 May 1907 | Kogarah, NSW | Army | — |
| Sidney Thomas Hamer | N232602 | 28 Sep 1919 | Sydney, NSW | Army | — |
| Thomas John Hamer | NX48103 | 21 Jan 1921 | Sydney, NSW | Army | — |
| Thomas Wilson Ray Hamer | S/4464 | 5 Dec 1911 | Marrickville, NSW | RAN | — |
| Victor Norman John Hamer | NX106145 | 26 Sep 1923 | Redfern, NSW | Army | — |
| John Reginald Hamer | NX33641 | 20 Jan 1918 | Suva, Fiji | Army | — |
| John Vincent Hamer | 166465 | 4 Nov 1926 | Woollahra, NSW | RAAF | — |
| Queensland / WA / Other Australian |
| Charles Sylvanus Hamer | 75951 | 21 Jul 1901 | Brisbane, QLD | RAAF | QLD |
| Clive Maurice Hamer | 252442 | 6 Nov 1908 | Unknown | RAAF | — |
| George Abnot Hamer | 17826 | 20 Feb 1918 | Perth, WA | RAAF | WA |
| Rupert Warnes Hamer | WX3377 | 9 Oct 1899 | Perth, WA | Army | WA |
| Ernest John Hamer | WX26960 | 20 Dec 1922 | Fremantle, WA | Army | WA |
| Leslie John Hamer | B5398 | — | Mackay, QLD | RAN | QLD |
| Joseph William Ernest Hamer | B3439 | 11 Feb 1912 | Paddington, ENG | RAN | — |
| Born Overseas — Lancashire and Other UK Immigrants |
| Daniel Leslie Hamer | V260716 | 17 May 1900 | Tottington, ENG | Army | Lancashire |
| David Henry Hamer | 154224 | 2 Jul 1922 | Cwmavon, Wales | RAAF | Welsh |
| Ernest Hamer | W31603 | 27 Sep 1891 | Oldbury, ENG | Army | English |
| George Barclay Hamer | NX83064 | 1 Aug 1918 | Aberdeen, Scotland | Army | Scottish |
| George Owen Hamer | 62063 | 11 Mar 1909 | Fleetwood, ENG | RAAF | Lancashire |
| Gordon Frederick Hamer | V285152 | 9 May 1923 | Bradford, ENG | Army | Yorkshire |
| Isabel Hamer | WF90433 | 17 Apr 1920 | Bolton, ENG | Army | Lancashire |
| James Hamer | NX16882 | 25 Feb 1909 | Haslingden, ENG | Army | Lancashire |
| John Hamer | Q119379 | 7 Aug 1897 | Liverpool, ENG | Army | Lancashire |
| Marshall Alfred Hamer | 40752 | 19 Jul 1909 | Lancashire, ENG | RAAF | Lancashire |
| Norman Hassel Hamer | W66897 | 12 Aug 1911 | Lancashire, ENG | Army | Lancashire |
| Percy Hamer | V81183 | 29 Jan 1884 | Bradford, ENG | Army | Yorkshire |
| William Hamer | N280524 | 21 Jun 1904 | Christchurch, NZ | Army | NZ |
Source: DVA Nominal Rolls, WWII. 63 total Hamers served. Table shows Australian-born and notable overseas-born entries grouped by family line. Rows highlighted blue = confirmed Bathurst/NSW line (Line 1).
World War II — Key Service Narratives
The following individuals are documented in detail from the Bathurst and Victorian lines:
World War I - Gallipoli & Western Front
The broader Hamer family from Lancashire saw significant service in WWI:
- Captain Frank Hamer (1880-1915): [Ashton-under-Lyne, UK] Son of William Hamer J.P. of Ashton-under-Lyne, killed in action on 7 June 1915 leading a charge against a Turkish trench with the 1/9th Manchesters - one of the bloodiest events of the Gallipoli campaign for that regiment. Commemorated on the Helles Memorial.
- Private Joseph Hamer (5th Battalion AIF): Frank's older brother, survived Gallipoli but killed in action in France on 1 September 1918. Buried at Assevillers New British Cemetery, France; commemorated at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.
- Sergeant Alfred Hamer, DCM: Wounded in action, awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for gallantry.
(Source: Grandad's War - Captain Frank Hamer)
World War II - Distinguished Service
- Sir Rupert James Hamer (VX13528): Line 2 "Rat of Tobruk" who served as Major with the 2/43rd Battalion AIF across Tobruk, Syria, El Alamein, New Guinea, and Normandy. Mentioned in Dispatches (1945) for "distinguished service in the South-West Pacific." Later Commanding Officer of the Victorian Scottish Regiment (1954-1958). Awarded the Efficiency Decoration (ED) for long service in the Citizens Military Force. (Source: DVA Nominal Rolls)
- David John Hamer (N/A - RAN Officer): Line 2 Joined RAN College in 1937, graduating in 1940. Served as Air Defence Officer aboard HMAS Australia during the battles of Leyte (October 1944) and Lingayen Gulf (January 1945). Awarded the Distinguished Service Cross "for gallantry, skill and devotion to duty" after he "stood on the bridge of Australia and calmly called instructions to gunners as five kamikaze planes flew at the ship," narrowly escaping death when the ship was hit four times. Naval circles suggest he was originally considered for the Victoria Cross. Rose to Captain, serving as Director of Naval Intelligence (1962-1963) and Commanding Officer of HMAS Vampire/Australian Destroyer Squadron (1963-1965). RAN officers do not have service numbers. (Sources: Navy Victoria, Sea Power Centre, DVA Nominal Rolls)
- Harold Hamer (NX32961): Line 1 Warrant Officer Class 2 with 2/1st Pioneer Battalion, served as a "Rat of Tobruk" during the siege where Australian forces held out for five months against overwhelming odds. The 2/1st Pioneer Battalion suffered 37 killed in action and 7 mortally wounded at Tobruk. Lived to age 89. (Source: Rats of Tobruk Tribute Database)
- Herbert Hamer (N272454): Line 1 Born 16 February 1891 at Perthville, NSW; enlisted as Sapper at Bathurst on 21 April 1941 at age 50, demonstrating the family's commitment to service across generations. (Source: DVA Nominal Rolls)
- Clive Arthur Hamer (NX141383): Line 1 Born 4 October 1923 at Perthville; enlisted at Sydney University on 2 July 1942. Served as Private with 2 Advanced Ordnance Depot until January 1946. Later awarded AM (1985) for services to education. (Source: DVA Nominal Rolls)
- Thomas Henry Carson Gillings (171243): New Zealand-born Merchant Navy officer who demonstrated extraordinary courage during WWII, surviving two separate torpedo attacks by enemy submarines. His Africa Star suggests service on the dangerous Mediterranean/North Africa convoy routes (1940-1943), where his first ship may have been torpedoed. He later served aboard MV Limerick (Union Steamship Company of New Zealand) when she was torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-177 off Cape Byron, NSW on 26 April 1943 while part of Convoy GP 48. The torpedo struck amidships and the 8,724-ton vessel took three hours to sink; 72 of 74 crew survived, with only the 3rd and 4th engineers lost. Married Joan (nee Weir) and settled on the Central Coast of NSW; the couple traveled extensively including to Fiji. Died 24 August 2002 at the Wamberal pub with his mates after a game of lawn bowls - a fitting end for a sailor who lived life to the fullest. Awarded five campaign medals: 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Pacific Star, War Medal 1939-45, and Australia Service Medal 1939-45. (Sources: Find a Grave, Wikipedia - MV Limerick, Family records)
Modern Era — Global War on Terror (2001-2006)
| Name |
No. |
Rank |
Unit |
Theatre |
Decorations |
| Thomas Cameron Hamer L1 | R174493 / M8118116 | ABBM | RAN — HMAS Kanimbla | Persian Gulf (Op SLIPPER, GWOT), Australian waters (border protection) | AASM (ICAT), Afghanistan Medal, ADM, OSM |
Continuing the family's naval tradition spanning from Captain David Hamer's WWII service in the Pacific, Thomas joined the Royal Australian Navy at 16. He completed recruit training at HMAS Cerberus as the September 11, 2001 attacks unfolded, and deployed immediately to the Persian Gulf aboard HMAS Kanimbla for a 6-month Global War on Terror deployment under Operation SLIPPER. He served 2001-2006 with multiple border protection operations around Australia.
Earlier Conflicts
Historical references suggest some Hamer family members may have fought in the English Civil War (1642-1651) alongside parliamentary forces, consistent with the family's Protestant traditions in Lancashire.
Political Leadership
The Hamer name is synonymous with distinguished political service in Australia, producing some of the nation's most respected leaders:
- Sir Rupert James "Dick" Hamer AC, KCMG, ED Line 2 (Service No. VX13528/213040) (29 July 1916 - 23 March 2004): Distinguished "Rat of Tobruk" who joined the Melbourne University Regiment in 1935, was commissioned as an officer in August 1940, and served as Major with the 2nd/43rd Battalion AIF in WWII across Tobruk, Syria, El Alamein, New Guinea, and Normandy (final posting 1945). Mentioned in Dispatches (1945) for "distinguished service in the South-West Pacific." Later served as Commanding Officer of the Victorian Scottish Regiment (1954-1958). Educated at Melbourne Grammar School and Geelong Grammar School, graduating in law from the University of Melbourne (resident at Trinity College from 1936). As the 39th Premier of Victoria (1972-1981), he represented a sharp change from the conservative Bolte era, modernizing and liberalizing Victoria's government: creating the ombudsman's office, establishing the Historic Buildings Preservation Council, abolishing capital punishment, decriminalizing homosexuality, and establishing the Equal Opportunity Board. He won convincing electoral victories in 1973 and an even bigger one in 1976. Created Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1982, appointed Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 1992, and awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001. Died of heart failure in his sleep and was honored with a state funeral offered by Labor Premier Steve Bracks. (Sources: DVA Nominal Rolls, Wikipedia - Rupert Hamer, Parliament of Victoria)
- David John Hamer AM, DSC Line 2 (5 September 1923 - 14 January 2002): Distinguished naval officer who rose to Captain, serving as director of naval intelligence (1962-1963) and commanding officer of HMAS Vampire, commanding the Australian Destroyer Squadron (1963-1965). Awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry at Lingayen Gulf. Educated at Geelong Grammar School, graduated from RAN College in 1940 with prizes for mathematics and navigation. Liberal member for Isaacs (1969-1974), narrowly defeated in 1974 but re-elected in 1975 before successfully contesting the Senate in 1977. Liberal senator for Victoria (1978-1990), serving as Chairman of Committees and Deputy President of the Senate (1983-1990). A strong supporter of improving the Senate's function as a house of review. Interested in promoting the arts, he helped establish the Arts Council of Victoria and served as President of the Arts Council of Australia and of the Australian Film Institute. Awarded Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977) and posthumously appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in June 2002. Died of leukaemia aged 78. (Sources: Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate, Royal Australian Navy)
The Hamer siblings represented an extraordinary concentration of talent and achievement. Born to English solicitor Hubert Hamer and nurse Elizabeth (Nancy) McLuckie, the four children each distinguished themselves in different fields: Sir Rupert as Premier and military officer, David as naval officer and politician, Alison as an internationally recognized historian, and Alan as a leading industrialist and scientist. Their collective achievements led to recognition as one of Australia's most illustrious families.
Enduring Legacy
The Hamer family's contributions to Australian society are formally recognized through multiple lasting tributes:
- Hamer Hall, Melbourne: The 2,466-seat concert hall at Arts Centre Melbourne, the largest indoor venue at the Arts Centre, was renamed in April 2004 shortly after Sir Rupert Hamer's death to honor his instrumental role in championing state funding for the Arts Centre's development. Originally opened as Melbourne Concert Hall on 6 November 1982 (designed by Roy Grounds), it serves as home to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and stands as a permanent tribute to the family's commitment to the arts. (Source: Wikipedia - Hamer Hall, Melbourne)
- Hamer Family Fund: Established in 2004 as a sub-fund of the Australian Communities Foundation to commemorate the lives and work of all four Hamer siblings. The fund supports the performing arts (especially music), innovation in care for the environment, and projects that advance good government, with particular favour for projects involving young people. (Source: The Hamer Family Fund)
- The Hamer Sprout Fund: An offshoot of the Hamer Family Fund representing the fifth and sixth generations of the Hamer family, encompassing almost 100 cousins spread across the globe. They share the goals of the Hamer Family Fund with an emphasis on the environmental aspects of the Hamer family's legacy. (Source: The Hamer Sprout Fund)
From 16th-century Oxford scholars to 20th-century political leaders, from pioneering Australian settlers to distinguished military officers, the Hamer family legacy represents centuries of service, scholarship, and leadership. The naming of one of Australia's premier concert venues in the family's honor demonstrates the lasting impact of their contributions to Australian culture and society. This heritage of military service, political leadership, academic excellence, and community contribution reflects the family's longstanding commitment to service and duty—values that continue to influence the family today.
Convergence of Pioneer Families in Australia
The Australian branches of the Hamer family intermarried with other pioneer families who settled in the Bathurst district, creating a tightly connected network of Central West NSW families:
- Hamer × Cheney: Michael Elias Hamer (1846) married Sarah Prudence Cheney (1851) — both families were among the five pioneer groups who settled in Queen Charlotte's Vale and Campbell's River. The Cheney family traces through William Cheney (1822, Stoke, Staffordshire) and Mary Downing (1825).
- Hamer × Loudon: Arthur Henry Hamer (1883) married Isabel "Belle" Loudon (1882) — the Loudon family was another of the five pioneer families documented in Hope of the Vale.
- Hamer × Peacock: Mary Rachel "Polly" Hamer (1873) married Jonathan Peacock (1871), who rose to become Gaol Governor at multiple NSW prisons including Bathurst.
- Hamer × Reynolds: Ernest George Hamer (1880) married Mary Jane Reynolds (1882), whose family traces through Henry Reynolds (1792, linked to the Stickland and Pendavis families) and the Martin line from Cornwall/NSW.
- Hamer × Francisco: Lloyd George Hamer (1918) married Monica Mary Francisco (1926), connecting to Portuguese heritage through Domingos Francisco Canedo (1825) and his parents Joao Domingos Canedo and Anna Maria De Cunha.
The convergence of these families in the small Bathurst/Perthville/Blayney/Orange region created an extended family network where cousins married into neighbouring pioneer families, creating deep roots in the Central West NSW community that endure today.
Notable People in the Extended Family Tree
- Lady Margaret Fleming, Countess of Atholl (~1536-1586): Lady-in-waiting to Mary, Queen of Scots. Granddaughter of King James IV of Scotland. Rumoured to be involved in the occult — the subject of the podcast episode "A Scottish Witch Who Didn't Burn." Connected through the Mackenzie/Nicholson lines on the Gillings maternal side. (Unverified — requires primary source verification of connecting links)
- George Evans, 1st Baron Carbery (~1680-1749): Anglo-Irish peer, raised to the Peerage of Ireland 1715. Governor and Constable of Limerick Castle. His father George Evans MP (1658-1720) was a Privy Councillor and supporter of William and Mary. Connected through the Evans line.
- Captain Ralph Hamor (1584-1626): Secretary of State of Virginia, Jamestown colonist, author, appeared on the Second Virginia Charter. See Virginia Branch section above.
- Edmund George Ashton, Baron Ashton of Chadderton (1515-1584): Lancashire nobleman from Oldham — from the same region as the Hamer family.
- Donald Nicholson, 16th Chief of Scorrybreac (1720-1825): Highland Scottish clan chief, Isle of Skye. Connected through the Nicholson/Mackenzie lines.
- Sir Alexander MacKenzie, 2nd Laird of Killichrist (1595-1656): Scottish laird connected through the Mackenzie line.
- William Hutchison: Died on the 'Justitia' Convict Hulk at Woolwich, Kent — a decommissioned warship used as a floating prison. The family's one known convict ancestor.
- Aubrey Ernest Peacock (1896-1916): Son of Mary Rachel Hamer and Jonathan Peacock. Killed in action at the Somme, France, 10 November 1916 — one of the deadliest battles in human history. A Hamer descendant who gave his life in WWI.
Interactive Family Tree
Navigate the complete 1,337-person family tree with ancestors, descendants, and connections spanning 1450 to present across 14+ family lines. Open full screen | Download GEDCOM
Learn More: For detailed genealogical information and historical records, visit the comprehensive Hamer Family History documentation and "Hope of the Vale" by Clive Arthur Hamer.
Sources & References
Other Hamer Lines — Research Library
The following documents record separate Hamer/Hamar family lines that are not directly connected to the Lancashire/Bolton lines above, but are preserved here as a genealogical resource for other researchers.
- The Shropshire Hamer/Hamar Family Tree (Archive document ref. 1851438, 8 pages) — A comprehensive family record of the Clun/Stokesay/Shropshire Hamar line, tracing from Richard Hamar of Aldon Farm in the Parish of Stokesay through his descendants in England, Wales, and America (Pennsylvania and Missouri). Compiled by Harry M. Hamer (b. 1876, Johnstown, Pennsylvania) and verified through visits to English cousins by O. Stuart Hamer in 1937 and 1951. This is geographically and genealogically distinct from the Bolton, Lancashire lines — the Shropshire family used the spelling "Hamar" interchangeably with "Hamer" and were farmers and millers in the Welsh Marches, approximately 120 miles from Bolton. Notable members include Jack Hamar (shot down at Dunkirk), Alfred Hamar (1,100-acre farm at Bicton with Clun sheep), and Nathaniel Hamar (tipstaff in the Court of Exchequer, London). Full transcription available on GitHub.
