Family background
Frederick Arnold Banks was born at Lymington, Hampshire England in January 1851, third son of John Charles Banks and Mary née Arnold. The family arrived at Sydney on 10 December 1854. On 12 November 1873 he married Martha Dunton at St Stephens Anglican Church Newtown. There were two daughters and two sons of the marriage. He died at Glebe on 26 July 1914, aged 63 years. Martha Banks died on 1 October 1933, aged 83 years.
Occupation & interests
Self-employed, Banks operated at 108-110 Glebe Point Road, Glebe over a long time as a master house painter leasing the Glebe Road property as an oil and paint store, and later operating there as an ironmonger and wholesale retailer. Banks was a vice-president of Glebe Rowing Club. He left an estate of 1,050 pounds valued for probate purposes.
Community activity
Banks was a prominent freemason, a Worshipful Past Master of Masonic Lodge, Cambrian No 10 and also a member of Boyne Lodge No 8, PAFS of Australia. Between 1885 and 1889 Glebe Council undertook major sewerage works. In 1899 Banks agitated for the NSW government to pay a debt of 17,000 to 18,000 pounds owed to Glebe Council for the sewerage works. Glebe Council finally received the compensation in 1902.
Local government service
Frederick Banks was involved in Glebe celebrations for Queen Victoria’s 60 years on the throne in 1897. It was agreed to illuminate the front of the Glebe Town Hall, and the district’s schoolchildren were entertained with various amusements at Lillie Bridge race course.
References
Sydney Morning Herald 27 June 1897 p7 3 February 1897 p. 3
Sydney Morning Herald 4 October 1899 p. 8
Sydney Morning Herald 27 July 1914 p. 8