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| Bill Lambert sits in pride of place as Captain of the 1920 NSW team. |
Perhaps it's necessary to quote Sid Grant verbatim to cover Bill Lambert's death. It's a document that speaks for itself that requires little from me:
Since the Weston Club was founded over 70 years ago, it has had many joys - but in stark contrast, it has had many moments of sorrow. Its glorious cavalcade of triumphs has been punctuated with tragic occurrences which have struck at intervals to bring the club to its knees. But with traditional pluck, it has weathered these crises. Probably, the blow which hit the club with its greatest grief was the loss of its stalwart skipper, Bill Lambert, when he was at the height of his playing career. Gloom and anxiety like black clouds hovered over the town when the news leaked out that Lambert had been critically injured by a fall of coal in Hebburn No. l. That was on Tuesday, 22nd November, 1921. Production ceased and all hands turned towards rescuing Lambert, who was taken to nearby Kurri hospital.
Despite all medical skills and sympathetic nursing, Lambert, after a valiant effort to survive, passed away.
A pall of sadness spread right across the soccer firmament.
The funeral cortege was one of the biggest seen in the North since Les Darcy died and was buried at East Maitland.
Thousands invaded the town and a panorama of sadness, bowed heads and dampened eyes · followed to the Kurri Cemetery.
Here an eloquent tribute was paid by Rev. D. Wetherall, Methodist Clergyman form the Kuni Kurri Circuit.
Mr. Wetherall said, "We have all congregated here in deep sorrow to honour a worthy citizen, a footballer of high rank, a leader of men - on and off the field, whose career has been cut off by this tragic occurrence. Let me tell you that for four days, Lambert battled manfully to live on but in the end he heard the referee's final whistle.
"His passing leaves a lesson to us all - be prepared at all times to play the game for the game's sake. 'Be modest in victory and generous in defeat' was his motto. As poet Byron once wrote, 'I must sleep now'. Vale Bill Lambert - the Pride of Weston."
Grant's glowing eulogy can be supplemented by the following reports from the regions press. The Newcastle Sun reported Bill's death on Monday 28 November 1921, page 7.
FOOTBALLER'S DEATH
'BILL' LAMBERT Coal Fall at Hebburn
The news that the captain of the Weston Soccer Club. R. W. Lambert, had died as the result of injuries from a fall of coal at. No. 2 Hebburn colliery on Friday afternoon, which practically broke his back, in a sad blow to the Soccer fraternity of the State. Bill Lambert represented New South Wales against Queensland in 1920 and 1921. His powers on the field, combined with his wonderful skill as a captain were responsible for his unanimous selection as skipper of the State team in 1920 and 1921. He was easily the best known player in the State, and his death has caused a wide feeling of sympathy. Already messages of sympathy have been received from the New South Wales Soccer Association, Metropoli-tan (Sydney), South Coast, and New-castle. The funeral took place this after-noon, and the various associations, as well as the South Maitland clubs, were represented, while a number of New castle clubs also sent representatives. The deceased leaves a widow and four children, the youngest of whom was born in England a few weeks ago. Mrs. Lambert having left Australia for a trip in June last. Bill Lambert was skipper of Weston Club for a number ot years, and was remarkably popular in the Maitland, as well as in the Newcastle area.
On Wednesday 30 November, the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, published the following account of Bill Lambert's funeral on page 8, adding an appreciation of the importance of cricket in his life.
WESTON. The attendance at the funeral of the late Mr. William Robert Lambert on Monday afternoon was a fitting tribute to the memory of a good man, who, in all his associations, whether as a member of the Miners' Federation, as a citizen, as captain of Weston Soccer Club and of the State Soccer team, or as secretary of Weston Cricket Club, always played the game. His death in the prime of his manhood, and the absence of his wife and little children on a visit to England, combined to enlist general sympathy. The funeral moved from the residence of Mr. W. Anderson. Aberdare-street, Weston, to the Methodist portion of the Kurri Kurri Methodist cemetery, the Rev. D. Weatherall conducting services at the house and at the grave. At the grave Mr Weatherall referred to the fine character of the deceased and to the sad circumstances associated with his death, The chief mourners were Mr. J. F. Johnson, father, and Mrs. S. Pybus, aunt. The Weston Town Band led the cortege, which included members of Hebburn Miners' Lodge, representatives of other Miners' lodges, Grand United Order of Oddfellows Lodge, Weston Buffaloes, representatives of the New South Wales and Newcastle Soccer Associations, officers and members of the South Maitland Soccer Association, and of Weston Soccer club, representatives of Newcastle district clubs, and from every Soccer club on the Maitland coalfield, representatives of the Hunter District Cricket Association, and officers and members of the Weston Cricket Club. Messrs, B Austin, J. Sharpe, J. Logan and R. Cockburn acted as pallbearers. The hymn "Nearer, My God to Thee," was sung during the service at the grave. Among a wealth of floral tributes placed on the grave were those from the N.S.W., Newcastle, South Maitland, Metropolitan, and South Coast Soccer Associations, and from all Soccer clubs in the district, and the Hunter District Cricket Association.
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