Family background
George Lanham Owens was born 25 June 1869 at Warialda, NSW, son of Edward A Owens and Sarah Louisa Lanham. He married (1) Mary Theresa Perry (1871-1906) 25 April 1899 at Sydney, NSW, and they had three sons. He married (2) Henrietta Ambler (1886-1960) 3 April 1918 at Redfern, NSW, and they had a daughter. Owens died 13 May 1942 at Queenscliff, NSW, aged 71 years, and he was interred at Woronora Cemetery. He left no Will. George Lanham Owens lived at ‘Surreyville’, 50 City Road, Darlington.
Occupation & interests
George Lanham Owens conducted a dancing academy at ‘Surreyville’, Darlington. These premises which were owned by St Joseph’s Building Society were completely gutted by fire in October 1910. In 1929 George Owens met with the Chief Secretary to make representations on behalf of dance hall and cabaret proprietors to have the right to permit dancing on their premises on Sundays. The Minister said the matter needed serious consideration.
Community activity
Owens was a justice of the peace (JP).
Local government service
George Lanham Owens was an alderman on Darlington Council in 1917-22 and 1925.
References
‘Dancing academy gutted’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 26 October 1910, p. 11, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15163761
‘The Councils’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 2 July 1917, p. 8, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/15744589
‘Modern twist to old dances’, The Labor Daily, 22 April 1936, p. 4, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article237773289