Family background
William Thomas Poole was born on 12 October 1828 at Pilstone, Buckinghamshire, England, the son of Daniel Clutterbuck Poole, a baker, and Eliza Quiddington. Poole immigrated to Adelaide, Australia, on board the ship Marion in 1851.
Poole married Emma Mary Slemming (1832-1863) at Sydney on 31 December 1853 and they had 2 daughters and 3 sons. He married Mary Sinclair Macfie at Pitt Town, NSW on 21 June1867 and they had 4 daughters and 2 sons. They lived at 87 Pitt Street, Redfern.
Poole died at Redfern on 7 February 1902 and was buried At Rookwood Cemetery in the Old Presbyterian Section. He left no will.
Occupation & interests
Upon arrival in Australia, William Poole was listed as an agricultural labourer. He was prominent in the life of Redfern during the economic malaise of the 1890s. He was engaged in railway construction for the NSW Government. He also purchased an estate in the Macleay district where he pioneered sugar growing and erected a sugar mill at Kempsey.
He was vice president of National Association in 1891, president in 1892, Prominent Member of Loyal Orange Institution and Deputy Grand Master in 1882.
Parliamentary service
William Poole was a Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly for South Sydney in 1880-82.
Local government service
William Thomas Poole was elected an alderman following the resignation of Alderman Beveridge, for Belmore Ward in 1891. In 1895 he was the Returning Officer.
References
‘Borough of Redfern’, NSW Government Gazette, 23 June 1891, p.4632, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/222097361
Mr William Thomas POOLE (1828 – 1902), Parliament of New South Wales,
https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/members/formermembers/Pages/former-member-details.aspx?pk=584
City of Westminster Archives Centre; London, England; Westminster Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: SJSS/PR/1/5
Poole, William Thomas [PE-001112]. City of Sydney Archives, https://archives.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/1870482
Mr William Thomas POOLE, Passengers in History, South Australian Maritime Museum, https://passengers.history.sa.gov.au/node/620892
State Records of South Australia; Gepps Cross, SA, Australia; Records Relating to Official Assisted Immigration – Crown Lands and Immigration Office – Official Assisted Passage Passenger Lists-1845-1886; Series: GRG35_48_1