Will Appleton

Sir William Appleton
KStJ
25th Mayor of Wellington
In office
1944–1950
Deputy Robert Macalister
Preceded by Thomas Hislop
Succeeded by Robert Macalister
Personal details
Born (1889-09-03)3 September 1889
Alexandra, New Zealand
Died 22 October 1958(1958-10-22) (aged 69)
Wellington, New Zealand
Political party United (1931-1936)
National (1936-58)
Spouse(s) (1) Mary Helen Munro
(2) Rose Hellewell
Children Five

Sir William Appleton KStJ (3 September 1889 – 22 October 1958) was a New Zealand politician. He served as Mayor of Wellington from 1944 to 1950, having been a city councillor from 1931 to 1944. He was knighted in 1950.

Biography

Appleton was born in Alexandra in Central Otago in 1889, the eldest of nine children. His parents were the Yorkshireman Edwin Appleton and his Scottish wife, Margaret Bruce. The family briefly moved to Gisborne in 1904, but was back in Alexandra in the following year. Appleton was left in charge of the local post office as a teenager by an absent postmaster, and did some bookkeeping for local businesses. In October 1906, he was appointed a cadet in the accountancy department of the General Post Office at Wellington.[1]

From left: Cecil Wood, Herbert St Barbe Holland and Appleton discussing plans for the new Wellington Cathedral in 1945.

Appleton was a leader of the commercial community, and founder of an advertising agency. He unsuccessfully stood for Parliament several times.[1] In the 1931 election, he contested the Wellington South electorate for the United Party and was beaten by Robert McKeen.[2] In the 1935 election, he contested the Otaki electorate for the United/Reform Coalition and came third.[3][4] In the 1938 election standing for the National Party in the Wellington Central electorate, he came second but was beaten by Labour's Peter Fraser.[5] In the 1943 election, Appleton was again unsuccessful but came second and greatly reduced Fraser's majority.[6] He did not contest the 1946 election.[7]

He served 21 years as a member of the Wellington Harbour Board, representing Wellington City, and was its chairman for 3 of those years.

Appleton was president of the Wellington Rugby Football League from 1940 to 1958 and presented the Appleton Shield, which is used to this day as the premier club trophy.[1]

In the 1950 King's Birthday Honours, Appleton was appointed a Knight Bachelor, in recognition of his service as mayor of Wellington.[8] In 1953 he was made a Knight of Grace of the Order of St John.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Buchan, Allison. "Appleton, William". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  2. ↑ The General Election, 1931. Government Printer. 1932. p. 5. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "Otaki Seat". The Evening Post. CXX (55). 2 September 1935. p. 10. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  4. ↑ "How the votes were cast". The Evening Post. CXX (130). 28 November 1935. p. 8. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  5. ↑ "The General Election, 1938". National Library. 1939. p. 5. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  6. ↑ "The General Election, 1943". National Library. 1944. p. 11. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  7. ↑ "The General Election, 1946". National Library. 1947. pp. 1–11, 14. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  8. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 38931. p. 2813. 8 June 1950. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  9. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 39743. p. 94. 2 January 1953. Retrieved 1 March 2015.

Further reading

No Mean City by Stuart Perry (1969, Wellington City Council) includes a paragraph and a portrait or photo for each mayor.

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Political offices
Preceded by
Thomas Hislop		 Mayor of Wellington
1944–1950 		Succeeded by
Robert Macalister
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