Family background
William Henry Wassall was born on 1 November 1876 at Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, the son of James Wassall and Emma June Newey. He immigrated with his parents to Australia on board the ship “Duke of Westminster” which arrived at Cooktown, Queensland, on 21 August 1883. He married (1) Beatrice Mary Ralph (1877-99) at Waterloo, NSW, and they had one son. He married (2) Edith Euphemia Adelaide Davidson (1879-1965) on 13 June 1900 at Alexandria, NSW, and they had one son and three daughters.
William Wassall died at Ashfield, NSW on 14 October 1937, aged 60 years; he was cremated at Rookwood Crematorium. He left a Will and his estate and assets were assessed at £99. Wassall lived in Phillip Street, Alexandria.
Occupation & interests
In his early youth, William Wassall entered the service of the Colonial Paper Co where he rose to be one of the principals in the company’s Australian business. He was president of the Wholesale Paper Merchant’s Association for 17 years, and a vice-president of the Federal Association of Paper Merchants of Australia. Wassall was a Freemason and a member of Masonic Lodge Phillip.
Community activity
Wassall was a member of the Royal South Sydney Hospital, and for three years a vice-president of the Institution. He was a former president of Alexandria -Waterloo Working Men’s Institute for many years, a foundation member and a member of the executive committee of the Citizens Reform Association. At the time of his death, he was a member of the board of directors and a life member of the Institution for the Deaf, Dumb and Blind. William Wassall was a Justice of the Peace (JP).
Local government service
William Wassall was an alderman on Alexandria Council 1911-22 representing the East Ward. He served as mayor 1917 and 1920-21.
References
Municipal Elections’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 30 January 1911, p. 10, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/15233668
The Daily Telegraph, 21 July 1922, p. 8, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/245733073
‘Obituary’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 18 October 1937, p. 13. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17399349