William Parker Henson Explained

William Henson
Office1:Chairman of the Sydney County Council
Term Start1:24 January 1950
Term End1:7 January 1952
Predecessor1:John Cramer
Successor1:Pat Hills
Office2:Alderman of the City of Sydney
Constituency2:Fitzroy Ward
Macquarie Ward
City Ward
Gipps Ward
Term Start2:2 December 1944
Term End2:30 November 1962
Order3:Councillor of the Sydney County Council
for the 4th Constituency
Alongside3:George Ivan Ferris
Term Start3:19 July 1946
Term End3:10 November 1971
Predecessor3:Arthur McElhone
Successor3:Innes Stanley Haviland
Birth Name:William Parker Henson
Birth Date:1905 1, df=yes
Birth Place:Stanmore, New South Wales
Death Place:Epping, New South Wales
Party:Civic Reform Association
Occupation:Accountant
Company director

William Parker Henson (21 January 1905 – 21 September 1999) was an Australian local government representative who represented the Civic Reform Association on the Council of the City of Sydney and as a councillor and chairman of the Sydney County Council.[1] In business and professional life he was an accountant and company director.[2]

Early life

Henson was born in Stanmore, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. He was the only son of Eustace Horatious Henson and Isabel (née Parker) and had an older sister, Jean, and a younger sister, Phillis.[3] Henson attended his father's alma mater, Newington College (1918–1922), during the headmastership of the Rev Dr Charles Prescott.[4] He continued to live in Stanmore until 1930.

Working life

After school, Henson studied to become a chartered accountant and was the senior partner in the Sydney-based firm of Henson Gates & Co. He was the managing director of William Andrews Printing Co Pty Ltd and a director of Howard Auto Cultivators Ltd and of Gosford Quarries Pty Ltd.

In 1942, Henson became a member of the NSW Board of the Federal Institute of Accountants and was vice-chairman in 1949.[5] He was NSW State President of the Australian Society of Accountants from 1953 to 1954.[6] Henson was an executive member of the Constitutional Association[7] and Secretary of the NSW Health Week Committee.[8] [9]

Political career

Henson was elected for Fitzroy Ward on the Council of the City of Sydney on 2 December 1944 and served until 31 December 1948. he was the elected for Macquarie Ward on 4 December 1948 and served until 1 December 1950. He again was elected for Fitzroy Ward on 2 December 1950 and served until 4 December 1953. He was the elected for City Ward on 5 December 1953 and served until 4 December 1959 before finally being elected for Gipps Ward on 5 December 1959 and serving until 30 November 1962. Henson was a member of the Finance Committee from 1945 until 1959 and was its vice-chairman in 1948. He served on the City Planning and Improvements Committee from 1945 until 1948 and again from 1949 until 1959, the Health and Recreations Committee in 1948 and from 1960 until 1962 and also on the Works Committee from 1960 until his retirement from council in 1962.

In 1946, Henson was elected as a Councillor on the Sydney County Council, which was the authority responsible for electricity supplies in Sydney. He continued to be an elected member of that council until 1966 and served as its Deputy chairman in 1948 and 1956 and chairman in 1950.

At the state level, Henson was a member of the United Australia Party[10] and ran in the Electoral district of Hornsby in 1938.[11]

Death

Henson died at his Epping home aged 95 and was cremated at the Northern Suburbs Crematorium. In lieu of flowers, it was requested that donations be sent to the Royal Blind Society.

Notes and References

  1. http://www.sydneyaldermen.com.au/alderman/william-henson/ Sydney's Alderman – William Parker Henson
  2. http://interactive.ancestry.com.au/1099/RHAUS1922A_078685-0358/43319?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.Ancestry.com.au%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgst%3d-6&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults#?imageId=RHAUS1922A_078685-0358 Who's Who in Australia 1950 (Melb, 1950) pp 337
  3. http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/IndexSearch?form=IndexingSearch&cgiurl=%2Fcgi-bin%2FIndex%2FIndexingBirth.cgi&sname=Henson&gname=&fname=Eustace&mname=&event=births&frange=1901&trange=1910&place=&x=68&y=1&SessionID=40335585 BDMs – NSW Births
  4. Newington College Register of Past Students 1863–1998 (Syd, 1999) pp 87
  5. News: Sir D. Copland To Discuss Employment. . . 20 October 1951 . 28 June 2013 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  6. News: ACCOUNTANCY & EDUCATION. . . Broken Hill, NSW . 18 August 1954 . 28 June 2013 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  7. News: LYING RUMORS. . . NSW . 18 March 1938 . 28 June 2013 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  8. News: HEALTH WEEK COUNCIL. . . 24 June 1939 . 28 June 2013 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  9. News: HEALTH WEEK TOASTS DRUNK IN MILK. . . 28 October 1947 . 28 June 2013 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  10. News: FINAL OPEN-AIR RALLIES. . . 25 June 1937 . 28 June 2013 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  11. News: HENSON AND THE DIGGERS. . . Parramatta, NSW . 24 March 1938 . 28 June 2013 . 8 . National Library of Australia.