William Finlay (mayor)

Finlay's parents were William and Marjory (was Alcock) Finlay. His father, William Finlay (5 June 1807 {{spaced ndash}} 11 June 1890) was born in Dundee, Scotland in 1807. He served in the army and rose to the rank of sergeant.{{cite web|url=http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/welcomewalls/names/finlay-william-marjory|title=Finlay, William & Marjory|accessdate=21 February 2016|publisher=Western Australian Museum}}

William Jr. was born in 1840 in Ireland.

The Finlays, both parents and three children, arrived in Western Australia aboard the convict ship Scindian in 1850. William senior was a Pensioner Guard, and the family initially settled at Freshwater Bay. Another five children were born in Western Australia over the next few years.

Finlay joined the police force in 1858; he served as a constable in Albany in 1864, moving to Williams in 1869, then to York in 1873 and then to Geraldton in 1874. He rose to the rank of sub-inspector in Albany in 1878.{{cite web|url=http://www.cosy.com.au/gsp/ftdisper.php?&pid=001054|title=William Finlay|work=Great Southern Pioneers|accessdate=23 February 2016}}

During his time in the force he married Sarah Coppin in Busselton in 1861.{{cite web|url=http://history.albany.wa.gov.au/index.php?option=com_ahc&task=details&id=92559|title=FINLAY, William (1840-1886). First Mayor of Albany|publisher=Albany Public Library|accessdate=13 March 2016}}

Finlay resigned from the force in 1878 and was well remembered for his charitable work, administration skills and founding a local militia.{{cite web|url=http://policewahistory.org.au/html_pages/Purge_1878.html|title=The Great Purge of 1878|accessdate=13 March 2016|publisher=The Western Australian Police Historical Society Inc.|author=Peter Conole|year=2013}} He remained in Albany working as a clerk of customs and a tide waiter and also served as a municipal councillor. He was elected as the first mayor of Albany in 1885.{{cite web|url=https://www.nabo.com.au/whats-on/event/william-finlay-albany-s-first-mayor|title=William Finlay - Albany's First Mayor|publisher=Nabo|date=5 November 2015|accessdate=13 March 2016}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article70216693 |title=Obituary late Mr. M U Green |newspaper=Albany Advertiser |volume=5 |issue=547 |location=Western Australia |date=14 January 1932 |accessdate=13 March 2016 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}} The other candidates in the election were John Moir and Robert Andrew Muir.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3004143 |title=News and notes |newspaper=The West Australian |volume=1 |issue=276 |location=Western Australia |date=18 November 1885 |accessdate=31 March 2016 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Finlay's home in Albany, known as McKenzie House or the White House, a grand federation style building overlooking Albany Port, is a still a local landmark.{{cite web|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/regional/great-southern/a/30859839/albany-landmarks-the-white-house-and-the-rocks-for-sale/|title=Heritage properties put on the market|work=Albany Advertiser|date=18 February 2016|accessdate=13 March 2016|publisher=Yahoo7}}

William Finlay died on the 16th of June, 1886 after a short illness. His death certificate states cause of death as "effusion on the brain". Sarah had died a few years previously. William was only 46, and left nine living children, five of whom were 16 years old or younger. One child had died in infancy in 1874.

• List of mayors of Albany, Western Australia

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Category:1840 births

Category:1886 deaths

Category:Irish emigrants to colonial Australia

Category:19th-century Australian politicians

Category:Mayors of Albany, Western Australia