Family background
Charles Joseph Etcell was born 1 April 1889 in Brisbane, Queensland, the son of George Patrick Etcell and Johanna Lawlor.
On 24 June 1916 he married a widow, Kathleen Lillian Foss née Gehringer (1895-1964), at Sydney. The pair had 6 sons and 3 daughters. The family lived at 10 Edward Street, Redfern.
Etcell died 19 June 1965 at Redfern, NSW, aged 76, and was buried in the Catholic Mortuary Section at Rookwood Cemetery.
Occupation & interests
During his time on council, Charles Etcell was concerned that there was insufficient space for children to play their games. It was reported in 1921 that the lanes of Redfern were ‘full of boys with kerosene tins, bats and cricket balls’. A lack of local parks compelled children to make the streets and lanes their play ground. In a discussion at Redfern Council about assaults on police Etcell said police themselves were most to blame for assaults as they were mostly the aggressors.
Local government service
Charles Joseph Etcell was elected an alderman for Golden Grove Ward 1920.
References
‘Municipal Elections’, Sydney Morning Herald, 3 February 1920, p.3, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/15883854