Family background
William Perry was born in Leicestershire, England, and emigrated to Sydney in 1829. He was married to Louisa Dodd in 1834 at the Church of St Philip, Sydney. Perry died at his home in Paddington in 1882, aged 79 years old. His wife Louisa predeceased him in 1880. Perry owned considerable property in Paddington and Darlinghurst. One of his sons was an alderman on North Illawarra Council, while another son (also named William) established a successful hardware business in Queensland and became involved in state politics.
Occupation & interests
William Perry was a prominent Sydney solicitor.
Community activity
Perry was a founder and the first Secretary of the Australian Mutual Provident Society (AMP Society), which was established in 1849.
Honours & awards
William Perry presented an ornamental drinking fountain to Paddington Council in 1881. He donated land for a Vaccine Institution and Dispensary.
Local government service
William Perry was an alderman on Paddington Council in 1860-62; he was council’s first mayor in 1860.
References
The information about this alderman was compiled in collaboration with Woollahra Library and Information Service.
Letter: William Perry, Bentham Pl Paddington to Mayor. On behalf of the Teachers and children, 1871, City of Sydney Archives, A-00300384, accessed 07 Mar 2022, https://archives.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/1102304
‘Family Notices’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 13 December 1880, p. 1, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13479247
‘Presentation of a Fountain’, Evening News, 14 September 1881, p. 3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article107227882
‘North Illawarra Council’, Illawarra Mercury, 9 June 1882, p. 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article135938818
‘Family Notices’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 21 June 1882, p. 1, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28380547
‘Branch Dispensary for Paddington’, The Sydney Daily Telegraph, 10 March 1883, p. 6, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article238490366
‘Jubilee of Perry Brother Limited’, The Queenslander, 13 August 1910, p. 1, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21882274
‘Closing Of Dispensary’, The Sun, 15 May 1946, p. 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article229470293