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Note: WILLIAM ALDRED, 1821 - 1911 notes by R.B.Howroyd 6/93 William, aka Alfred William, was born at Tiverton, Devon in 1821 the youngest of 5 children. William's parents were John Aldred, a drummer who served through the Peninsular wars, & Elizabeth Fisher both of Tiverton. As a boy William was given the proverbial shilling for his future & shown the door. He found his way to London to become a hairdresser to the rich & powerful in the Burlington Arcade. In 1844 William married Sarah Mills, a lady's maid from Guernsey in the Channel Islands & while they lived in London seven of their children were born. In 1857 he paid 80 pounds stirling passage money & with Sarah & children left Liverpool on The Sir WF Williams arriving in Hobart on Aug 18 1857. Small, dapper & outgoing William set up shop in Elizabeth St next to the old Bank of Australasia, later the MBF building, where he soon introduced a hitherto missing venue for the gentlemen of the town. The business flourished & among it's functions was the 19th century equivalent of a ticket agent for the Theatre Royal. In 1865 above his shop, was born his 8th & last child Laura Octavia, later the wife of Charles Richard Howroyd MHA, MHR. Sarah died in Hobart in 1879 & was buried at Queenborough. In 1884 William married Agnes Lumsden, a 52 year old widow of Hobart, but their marriage was shortlived Agnes dying in New Zealand in 1899 while she & William were visiting his son Frederick & family. In 1889 William sold his business in Elizabeth St. to a former apprentice, James Cairns. In his declining years William saw most of his his children leave Hobart for Launceston, Melbourne, & New Zealand but he remained a well known & popular figure in Hobart until his death at 90 in 1911. Sarah Mills was reinterred at Cornelian Bay & it was with her that William was buried. He was known as a fuschia grower & breeder of canaries. He held ticket number 1 for the society to promote the Hobart Launceston railway. In the 'Critic' of 7th September 1923 this was written ".. After leaving the Rock Hotel one came to the hairdressing establishment of William Aldred..whose reputation as a tradesman & citizen were second to none ..his hobbies were Belgian canaries & fuschias & his collections were a matter of public exhibit.. he figured prominently as a perruquier & dresser & Jefferson of Rip Van Winkle fame complimented him at the Theater Royal ..he was a great pedestrian & once gave an exhibition of his skill at the Royal...when the writer last saw him he was over 80 & brim full of heerfulness."
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