Arthur Hamilton came from a famous sporting playing family. His father Blayney Hamilton was a badminton and cricket international, his uncle William Drummond Hamilton represented Ireland at cricket and tennis, another uncle Willoughby Hamilton was world ranked number one at tennis at one time and a third uncle Francis Cole Lowry Hamilton played cricket for Ireland. In addition two of his siblings were badminton internationals (Willoughby Hamilton and Mavis Hamilton).[1][2]