William Horner Fletcher

Alderman
Willian Horner Flecther
Mayor of Manly
In office
1899–1900
Preceded by Frederick C. Passau
Succeeded by Ellison Wentworth Quirk
Personal details
Born 1851
Auckland New Zealand
Died 1931
Sydney Australia
Spouse(s) Louise (née Moore)
Alma mater Ipswich Grammar School and Newington College
Occupation Accountant
Religion Methodist
Website William Horner Fletcher

William Horner Fletcher (1851–1931) was a New Zealand-born Australian accountant and mayor of Manly Council. He was a pioneering player of rugby union in New South Wales.[1]

Early life

Fletcher was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He was the second son of Kate (née Green) and Joseph Horner Fletcher (1823–1890),[2] who was a Methodist minister and the Principal of Wesley College at the time of his birth. In 1861, the Fletcher family moved to Queensland and whilst his father was serving in Ipswich, Fletcher attended Ipswich Grammar School. When his father was invited to succeed John Manton as President of Newington College, Fletcher moved with his family to New South Wales and completed his high school education at his father's new school.[3] He was a younger brother of Joseph James Fletcher (1850–1926) and older brother of Norman Vyner Fletcher (1867–1889).

Rugby

Fletcher's father, Joseph, was a pioneer of rugby union. He was instrumental in 1869 in organising the first game of school-boy rugby to be played against the University of Sydney,[4] and of inter-school rugby being played in Australia, between Newington and The King's School, Parramatta in 1870. William Horner Fletcher played in those games and then post-school played as a quarter back for the Waratah Rugby Club. He became the first secretary of the Southern Rugby Football Union in 1874.

Mid-life

As an accountant from the 1880s, Fletcher worked mainly in the area of insolvency[5] as a partner in the firm of David Fell and Co.[6] In 1887,[7] Fletcher married Louise Moore (d.1922), the of daughter Lewis Moore of Tramore, Darley Road, Manly.[8] They lived in Manly until 1919 in a house named Erlsdon and remained childless. Long involved with the Old Newingtonians' Union,[9] Fletcher served as its President in 1903.[10]

Manly Council

Fletcher first served on Manly Council as an alderman in 1893 and was the Mayor in 1899–1900, retiring from council in 1901. With his accounting background, he was mainly concerned with the Council's accounts and ensuring that Manly Council did not require any form of Government subsidy during his period in office. He was also a founder and treasurer of Manly Cottage Hospital, and a considerable fund-raiser for the hospital.

Retirement

On leaving Manly in 1919 he was presented with an illuminated testimonial from Manly Methodist Church and moved to 27 Wycombe Road, Neutral Bay, New South Wales. He served on Newington College Council and for 17 years, until his death, he was Honorary Treasurer. He died on 15 March 1931, aged 79,[11] and since that time the William Horner Fletcher Prize for Public Spirit and Service has been awarded in his honour at Newington.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "MR. W. HORNER FLETCHER.". The Sydney Morning Herald (National Library of Australia). 17 March 1931. p. 10. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  2. ↑ Smart, D. B., Fletcher, Joseph Horner (1823–1890), Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  3. ↑ Newington College Register of Past Students 1863–1998 (Syd, 1999) pp 65
  4. ↑ A Sense of Union – A History of the Sydney University Football Club (Syd, 1998) pp 22
  5. ↑ "INSOLVENCY BUSINESS.". The Sydney Morning Herald (National Library of Australia). 6 April 1886. p. 6. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  6. ↑ "IN EQUITY.". The Sydney Morning Herald (National Library of Australia). 21 April 1914. p. 7. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  7. ↑ BD&M NSW. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  8. ↑ "Family Notices.". The Sydney Morning Herald (National Library of Australia). 28 May 1887. p. 1. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  9. ↑ "OLD NEWINGTONIANS' UNION.". The Sydney Morning Herald (National Library of Australia). 3 July 1902. p. 4. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  10. ↑ Newington Across the Years, A History of Newington College 1863 – 1998 (Syd, 1999) pp 347
  11. ↑ "Family Notices.". The Sydney Morning Herald (National Library of Australia). 17 March 1931. p. 8. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  12. ↑ "NEWINGTON COLLEGE.". The Sydney Morning Herald (National Library of Australia). 15 December 1933. p. 15. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
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