Lambert was born in 1850 in
Stockwell, London; the fifth son of Thomas Lambert of
Surbiton. He was educated at
Rugby School before matriculating to
Trinity College, Cambridge in 1868. Lambert was a keen footballer while at Rugby and because of his old school ties was allowed to join the newly formed Cambridge University rugby team. When the first Varsity Game between Cambridge and
Oxford Universities was arranged in 1872, the Cambridge captain was E. Winnington Ingram, but because of
Tripos work, he was unavailable to travel to Oxford. Lambert, who played at half back, was elected in his place and lead his team onto the Parks playing field on 10 February 1872. While still completing his studies, Lambert was admitted at the
Middle Temple in 1870, and was awarded his BA in 1873. On 26 January 1874, he was called to the Bar, and received his MA in 1876. Around this period, Lambert travelled to Asia, and published a short field guide,
A Trip to Cashmere and Ladak, which was published in 1877 by Henry S. King of London. He was also a Friend of the
Royal Geographical Society and a Fellow of the
Zoological Society of London. ==Political career and later life==