Date of Birth: 12/04/1919
Place of Birth: Tenterfield, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death: 17/04/2014
Place of Death: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
| Member of the NSW Legislative Council |
23 Apr 1955 |
22 Apr 1967 |
12 years |
A Member of the indirectly elected Council 1934 - 1978. Date of Election 25 November 1954. Granted retention of title of 'Honourable' for life. |
Political Party Activity
Country Party. President of Sydney Metropolitan branch in 1954.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Media Association Executive and International Civil Servant. Educated at Sydney Grammar School and University of Sydney, B.A 1940, BEc 1946; Fellow of Australian Institute of Management and of Advertising Institute of Australia; Secretary of New South Wales Country Press Association 1945 - 1961; general manager of Country Press Limited 1951 - 1961; staff member of United Nations Educational and Scientific and Cultural Organisation secretariat, based in Paris, 1961 - 1965 and from 1970; federal director of Federation of Australian Commercial Broadcasters 1965 - 1969; secretary of Australian Provincial Press Association 1955 - 1961; director of Northern Newspapers Pty Limited in 1952 - 1977, (Chairman 1966 - 1969), Television New England Limited 1958 - 1961, and Australian United Press New South Wales branch 1953 - 1961; member of Australian National Advisory Council for United Nations Educational and Scientific and Cultural Organisation 1949 - 1961, 1965 - 1969, member of Australian Advisory Committee for United Nations Educational and Scientific and Cultural Organisation based in Paris 1961 - 1965, 1970 - 1977 and United Nations Educational and Scientific and Cultural Organisation regional Communication Adviser for Asia, Kuala Lumpur 1977 - 1979. Executive member of Sydney University Union 1940 - 1942, 1946; president of Lindfield East Parents and Citizens' Association in 1955; New South Wales president of National Trust of Australia 1960 - 1961; author in 1966 and 1975; editor 1942 - 1961. Visiting Fellow of Macquarie University 1981 - 1984, Chairman of Broadcasting Council 1980 - 1987. Member of Australian Immigration Publicity Council 1965 - 1969. Author in 1966, 1986, 2000.
Military Service
Commissioned in University of Sydney Regiment in 1940. Served in 2nd Australian Imperial Forces 1941 - 1945. Served as an instructor of Light Anti Aircraft school and operations Dutch New Guinea, Captain.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of Ernest Christian Sommerlad CBE and former Member of the Legislative Council. Married Mavis Dorothy Patterson on 6 February 1943 and had issue, 2 daughters and 1 son. Methodist.
Additional Information
Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: 1.
Sommerlad family - papers, 1857 - 1992, with family history material dating
from 1692 (MLMSS 6012); photographs in the PICMAN Database. 2. E.Lloyd (Ernest
Lloyd Sommerlad - further papers, 1947 - 1998 (MLMSS 7360); photographs in the
PICMAN Database.
