Family background
William James Burton was in 1844 at Staffordshire, England, son of William Burton and Catherine. He arrived at Sydney in 1855 with his parents.Unmarried, he died at Ingleburn on 27 December 1895, aged 51 years.
Occupation & interests
Described as a stomemason in 1877, he was publican of the Tradesman’s Arms (1873) Glebe Road and Burton Family Hotel,St Johns Road (1877). From 1879 he was employed foreman of works on Glebe Council at 156 pounds a year, and later its inspector of nuisance to 1894. In between he was publican of the Volunteer Hotel (1892) in the city.
Community activity
He was a founding member of Wentworth Masonic Lodge in 1881, and its Worshipful Master in 1883, 1884 and 1886.Burton was secretary of Glebe Bowling Club. Burton received a vote of thanks in 1894 for past services to the borough as an alderman and council employee, and on his death alderman Conlon inserted a tribute to him in the local newspaper.
Local government service
After Glebe Council took over from the Pyrmont Bridge Company’s its toll road through Glebe, William Burton reported to Council in 1887 on the cost of blue metalling this road. At a Glebe Council meeting chaired by Mayor Yeates in 1892 Burton took exception to the views expressed by alderman Duncan, and called him ‘Yeates’ flunkey’. The mayor asked him to withdraw, his interjection. Burton refused, so the mayor vacated the chair.
References
Sydney Morning Herald 28 Dcember 1895 p. 1
Sydney Morning Herald 6 September 1887 p. 5
Advertiser 6 May 1892 p. 7
Centenary History of Lodge Wentworth No 89 pp.19, 85-87
Sydney Morning Herald 10 March 1894 p10