Family background
John Baldwin was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England in 1837. He married his first wife at Portsmouth and they had four children before she died in 1869. He re-married in 1871 and the couple had two sons. His residence in 1892 was George Street, Macdonaldtown. He died from heart failure at his home, 110 Manningham Thorpe, Stanmore Road on 17 November 1907. He was buried in the Congregational cemetery, Rookwood.
Occupation & interests
John Baldwin was a justice of the peace (JP). He trained as a stonemason. After arriving in NSW he worked as a stonemason for some years until he tendered to construct a public building in 1880. He built Glen Innes gaol and the Metropolitan Fire Station in Castlereagh Street, Sydney. Along with his partner, he tendered for constructing the Lands Department building in Bridge Street. He also constructed other notable buildings such as Kenmore Asylum, near Goulburn. John Baldwin was a director of the Sydney Permanent Freehold, Land and Building Society in 1885.
Community activity
John Baldwin was a trustee of Erskineville Park and a member of the Hope of Camperdown, Division 120 of the Sons and Daughters of Temperance.
Local government service
John Baldwin was an alderman on Macdonaldtown (Erskineville) Council in 1885-89 and 1891-92. He was mayor in 1888.
References
Colin Adrian, Fighting fire: a century of service, 1884-1984 , Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 1984, p. 76
Australian Men of Mark 1889. Charles F Maxwell, Sydney, Volume 2, pp 342-344
Sydney Morning Herald, 6 Feb 1885 p 12
‘Personal’, Sydney Morning Herald, 18 Nov 1907, p. 6, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/14894134