Family background
Charles Henry Ibbotson was born in New Zealand on 11 April 1859 to George and Sarah Ibbotson. By 1866, the family had moved to Sydney and lived in the Glebe area, where the birth of another son, Robert, was registered. On 1 February 1883, Charles Henry Ibbotson married Kate Ellen Waterman at St Barnabas’ Church, George Street West. The couple lived at 447 (later 493-507) King Street, Newtown, for several decades but moved to Blakehurst during the late 1910s.
Charles Henry Ibbotson died in May 1936, aged 77, at his home ‘Elonara’, Stuart Street, Blakehurst. He was survived by his wife Kate Ellen, two daughters and three sons, and was buried at Woronora Memorial Park. His wife died the following year.
Occupation & interests
Ibbotson was a coachbuilder. His father George Ibbotson established a coach building business at 447 King Street, Newtown, in 1881, and Charles Henry joined the business together with his brothers, George and Robert. Many of the vehicles built by the company won prizes at shows. During the 1910s, the company was known as the Central Coach Factory, still run by Charles Ibbotson, and Ibbotson’s body motor works was still located at their old King Street address by 1930.
Community activity
Charles H. Ibbotson’s obituary noted that he was a past master of Lodge Manoah, and a mason for over 50 years. He was also a foundation member and past president of the Blakehurst Progress Association, where he resided at the time of his death.
Local government service
Charles Henry Ibbotson was an alderman on Newtown Council in 1894-1910, representing Enmore Ward. He was Mayor in 1899.
References
Biographical information for this alderman was originally researched by Mark Matheson for the Newtown Project Website.
Kay Cook, ‘Charles H. Ibbotson’
‘Metropolitan Suburban Mayors’, The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, 22 April 1899, p. 922 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165227614
‘Family Notices’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 1 February 1908, 12, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article14950901
‘Obituary’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 26 March 1936, 8, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17344071
‘Death of Mr. C. H. Ibbotson’, The Propeller, 26 March 1936, 4, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article235628335
‘Family Notices’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 26 March 1936, 9, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17343871