Family background
Samuel Duncan was born in 1855, son of Samuel and Rebecca Duncan. In 1881 he married Elizabeth Ann Parcell at Central Cumberland. He died at Marrickville on 25 December 1918, aged 63 years. Elizabeth Duncan died on 22 March 1942, aged 85 years.
Occupation & interests
Duncan worked as a joiner at Gottenham Street Glebe from 1879, and then as a builder from 1883, until he retired in 1894. He also operated as an house agent. He was a founding member of Glebe Masonic Lodge in 1881 and a Justice of the Peace.
Local government service
Samuel Duncan was an alderman on Glebe Council in 1886-95. An application was lodged in the Supreme Court in 1895 by Henry Macnamara to have Duncan removed as an alderman of Bishopthorpe ward for corruptly providing conveyances for a number of his supporters to a municipal poll. Duncan denied any knowledge of such a claim. The court dismissed the application.
Between 1859 and 1917, of the 82 men elected to Glebe Council, two groups – the building industry with 13 aldermen, and the real estate industry (house and land agents, commission agents) with 10 aldermen – had the strongest representation.
References
Australian Town and Country Journal, 13 February 1886, p. 41
Sydney Morning Herald, 16 May 1895, p. 3
Sydney Morning Herald, 30 January 1889, p. 4
Sydney Morning Herald, 27 December 1918, p. 6