Clarrie Earl
Encyclopedia
Clarence Joseph Earl was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1953 until 1973. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party
(ALP).
Earl was born in Heddon Greta and was the son of a coal-miner. He was educated at Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham
and initially worked as a farmhand on sheep stations. He attended Sydney Teachers College
in 1937 and 1938 and worked as a teacher between 1939 and 1940 and between 1944 and 1953. Between 1940 and 1944 he served with the 2nd Australian Imperial Force and was wounded at Tobruk
. Earl was elected to parliament as the member for the new and notionally safe Labor seat of Fairfield
at the 1953
state election. Earl retained the seat at the next 2 elections and transferred to the new and equally safe seat of Bass Hill
at the 1962
. Fairfield was successfully contested for Labor by the future Deputy Premier Jack Ferguson
whose seat of Merrylands
. Earl retained Bass Hill until he retired from public life at the 1973
election. His retirement allowed the future Premier Neville Wran
to transfer from the Legislative Council
to an Assembly seat at the 1973 election. He did not hold party, parliamentary or ministerial office.
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1953 until 1973. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
(ALP).
Earl was born in Heddon Greta and was the son of a coal-miner. He was educated at Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham
Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham
Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham , is a Roman Catholic, day school for boys, located in Lewisham, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
and initially worked as a farmhand on sheep stations. He attended Sydney Teachers College
Sydney Teachers College
The Sydney Teachers College was a tertiary education institution that trained school teachers in Sydney, Australia. It existed from 1906 until 1981, when it became a part of the Sydney Institute of Education which in turn joined the Faculty of Education at the University of Sydney in...
in 1937 and 1938 and worked as a teacher between 1939 and 1940 and between 1944 and 1953. Between 1940 and 1944 he served with the 2nd Australian Imperial Force and was wounded at Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
. Earl was elected to parliament as the member for the new and notionally safe Labor seat of Fairfield
Electoral district of Fairfield
Fairfield is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian state of New South Wales in Sydney's West. Fairfield has historically been one of the safest Labor seats in New South Wales and is considered a part of Labor's heartland in Western Sydney...
at the 1953
New South Wales state election, 1953
The 1953 New South Wales state election was held on 14 February 1953. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1952 redistribution...
state election. Earl retained the seat at the next 2 elections and transferred to the new and equally safe seat of Bass Hill
Electoral district of Bass Hill
Bass Hill was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian State of New South Wales from 1962 to 1991, including the Sydney suburb of Bass Hill.-Members for Bass Hill:...
at the 1962
New South Wales state election, 1962
The 1962 New South Wales state election was held on 3 March 1962. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1961 redistribution...
. Fairfield was successfully contested for Labor by the future Deputy Premier Jack Ferguson
Jack Ferguson
Laurie John Ferguson was an Australian politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.-Early life:...
whose seat of Merrylands
Electoral district of Merrylands
Merrylands was an electoral district for the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, named after and including the Sydney suburb of Merrylands. It was first created in 1959 and abolished in 1962. It was recreated in 1968 and abolished in 1988.-Members for...
. Earl retained Bass Hill until he retired from public life at the 1973
New South Wales state election, 1973
Elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly were held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 17 November 1973. The result was a win for the Liberal-Country Party coalition under Sir Robert Askin, which had been in office since 1965....
election. His retirement allowed the future Premier Neville Wran
Neville Wran
Neville Kenneth Wran, AC, CNZM, QC was the Premier of New South Wales from 1976 until 1986. He was National President of the Australian Labor Party from 1980 to 1986 and Chairman of both the Lionel Murphy Foundation and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation from 1986...
to transfer from the Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
to an Assembly seat at the 1973 election. He did not hold party, parliamentary or ministerial office.