Date of Birth: 04/09/1924
Place of Birth: Zetland, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death: 17/09/2002
Place of Death: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
| Deputy Premier, Minister for Public Works and Minister for Ports |
01 Feb 1983 |
10 Feb 1984 |
1 year 10 days |
|
| Deputy Premier, Minister for Public Works and Minister for Ports |
02 Oct 1981 |
01 Feb 1983 |
1 year 4 months |
|
| Member for Merrylands |
19 Sep 1981 |
05 Mar 1984 |
2 years 5 months 16 days |
|
| Deputy Premier, Minister for Public Works and Minister for Ports |
29 Feb 1980 |
02 Oct 1981 |
1 year 7 months 4 days |
|
| Acting Premier |
17 May 1979 |
26 May 1979 |
10 days |
|
| Acting Premier |
15 Dec 1978 |
12 Jan 1979 |
29 days |
|
| Deputy Premier, Minister for Public Works and Minister for Ports |
19 Oct 1978 |
29 Feb 1980 |
1 year 4 months 11 days |
|
| Member for Merrylands |
07 Oct 1978 |
28 Aug 1981 |
2 years 10 months 22 days |
|
| Acting Minister for Sport and Recreation and Minister for Tourism |
16 Jul 1978 |
14 Aug 1978 |
30 days |
|
| Acting Minister for Housing |
12 Jul 1978 |
10 Aug 1978 |
30 days |
|
| Acting Premier |
03 May 1978 |
21 May 1978 |
19 days |
|
| Acting Premier |
21 Dec 1977 |
08 Jan 1978 |
19 days |
|
| Acting Premier |
25 Aug 1977 |
11 Sep 1977 |
18 days |
|
| Deputy Premier, Minister for Public Works and Minister for Ports |
10 Feb 1977 |
19 Oct 1978 |
1 year 8 months 10 days |
|
| Deputy Premier, Minister for Public Works, Minister for Ports and Minister for Housing |
14 May 1976 |
10 Feb 1977 |
8 months 28 days |
|
| Member for Merrylands |
01 May 1976 |
12 Sep 1978 |
2 years 4 months 13 days |
|
| Member for Merrylands |
17 Nov 1973 |
02 Apr 1976 |
2 years 4 months 17 days |
|
| Member for Merrylands |
13 Feb 1971 |
19 Oct 1973 |
2 years 8 months 7 days |
|
| Member for Fairfield |
01 May 1968 |
23 Jan 1968 |
0 days |
|
| Member for Merrylands |
24 Feb 1968 |
13 Jan 1971 |
2 years 10 months 21 days |
|
| Member for Fairfield |
03 Mar 1962 |
31 Mar 1965 |
3 years 29 days |
|
| Member for Merrylands |
21 Mar 1959 |
05 Feb 1962 |
2 years 10 months 16 days |
|
| Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly |
21 Mar 1959 |
05 Mar 1984 |
24 years 11 months 14 days |
|
Political Party Activity
Australian Labor Party (ALP) in 1946. President of Guildford Branch and Deputy Leader. Member of Administrative Committee to 1987. Former member of Disputes Committee and Foreign Affairs Committee. Secretary Reid Federal Electoral Council to 1988.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Bricklayer. Educated at Granville Convent and Marist Brothers, Parramatta. Farmhand, textile worker, builder's labourer, bricklayers organiser Building Workers Industrial Union, executive member from 1960; Returned Serviceman's Leagues; Council for Civil Liberties; Penal reform Council; and Association for International Co-operation and Disarmament.
Military Service
Served 2nd Australian Imperial Forces 1942 - 1946. 2/8th Field Regiment, 9th Division.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Alderman for Parramatta 1954 - 1959, Deputy Mayor 1959.
Personal
Son of John (Jock) Ferguson and his wife Mary Ellen Burke. Married Mary Ellen Bett and they had 3 sons and 2 daughters. His son, Laurie Donald Thomas Ferguson, was also a Member of the Legislative Assembly.
There is a discrepancy in the sources for his date of birth. 'The Biographical Register of the NSW Parliament 1901 - 1970' (Radi & Spearrit) gives the year 1925; the 1973 'Labor Year Book' also lists 1925 as the year of his birth. However the 'Sydney Morning Herald' and 'The Australian' obituaries note his birth as being in 1924. Rodney Cavalier, former Member and author of 'The Australian's' obituary, has said that Ferguson told him the year was 1924.
Additional Information
Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: 1.
L.J Ferguson - papers, 1974 - 1984 (MLMSS 4220) 2. L.J Ferguson - further
papers, 1981 -1984 (MLMSS 4220 ) (ADD ON 1656)
Electorate description: Metropolitan, residential suburban and industrial.
Located Sydney, outer western. Principal suburbs: Granville, Villawood, Yennora.
Area: 19.6 sq km Population: 49,450 Enrolment: 31,619
