Sapsford, Thomas H

Description

Unique IDPE-000773SurnameSapsfordGiven namesThomas HBiographical abstractDates of employment: 1879-1887Biographical noteBiographical details:
Faulty Town Hall Foundations: Sapsford’s report and recommendations: [ref: The Daily Telegraph 5 February 1881 p5]; [ref: The Sydney Daily Telegraph Thursday 10 February 1881 p2]; [ref: Evening News Friday 11 February 1881 p 4]; [ref: The Sydney Morning Herald Saturday 12 February 1881 p 7]; [ref: Freeman's Journal (Sydney) Saturday 19 February 1881 p 15]; [ref: The Sydney Morning Herald Saturday 26 February 1881 p 5]; [ref: The Sydney Daily Telegraph Friday 4 March 1881 p 2]

Suspension re Town Hall Building: [ref: Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate 16 November 1885 p3]; [ref: SMH 20 November 1885 p11]; [ref: Evening News 20 November 1885 p3]; [ref: Evening News 21 November 1885]

Dismissal: [ref: The Sydney Morning Herald 5 December 1885 p13]; [ref: Evening News 5 December 1885 p4]; [ref: Evening News 11 December 1885 p6]

Re-appointment: [ref: SMH 18 December 1885]; [ref: The Sydney Morning Herald 20 January 1886 p9]; [ref: Evening News 2 February 1886 p5]; [ref: SMH 10 March 1886 p11]

Town Hall construction: [ref: Evening News 17 February 1886 p6]; more newspaper reports on girders through February 1886; [ref: Evening News 3 March 1886 p3]

Plans relating to Town Hall: Centennial Hall girders [ref: 141/P033]; Town Hall elevation to Druitt Street [ref: 141/T0010A]; Vestibule doors [ref: 141/0054]; Town Hall elevation to Harbour [ref: 141/T152A]

Death: NSW BDMs Registry: Death 8972/1886 SAPSFORD THOMAS H [parents] NEWMAN & JANE E registered at RYDE; Died 30 November 1886

Death Notice: SAPSFORD -November 30 1886, at his late residence Helvetia, Hunters Hill, of brain fever Mr Thomas H Sapsford, late City Architect &c , aged 39 years [ref: SMH 4 December 1886 p1]

Obituaries: [ref: Evening News 1 December 1886 p4]; [ref: The Daily Telegraph 2 December 1886 p5 [ref: SMH 16 December 1886 p5]

Frauds revealed: [ref: SMH 28 September 1887 p6, p9, p12]; [ref: The Sydney Morning Herald 29 September 1887 p4;] [ref: Evening News 28 September 1887; 3 October p3; 5 October p3; 7 October; 26 October 1887 p3]; [ref: Goulburn Herald (NSW) 4 October 1887 p2]

Details from contemporary sources:
1879 Appointed 5 August as City Building Surveyor [ref: Council Meeting 5 August 1879]
1880 Salary Schedule 1879-80 - Finance Committee recommendations for 1880 [ref: 22/18/125/689]
1880 Report by Sapsford, Dansey and Seymour on various buildings visited and found to be unfit for human habitation - January [ref: 26/162/158]
1880 Report on dangerous walls and constructions not in accordance with the City Improvement Act 1879 - February [ref: 26/163/252]
1880 Report with Dansey and Seymour on unhealthy and dangerous buildings in Pitt St - August [ref: 26/168/1445]
1880 Report on the process of inspection of buildings - list of condemned buildings - August [ref: 26/168/1539]
1880 Annual Report on implementing the City Improvement Act 1879 - demolition of hovels and rookeries - November [ref: 26/171/2369]
1881 Salaries of Officers 1881 - Finance Committee recommendation - £700 pa City Architect & Building Surveyor [Offices amalgamated January] [ref: 22/21/2]
1881 Report on the state of the Town Hall foundations - February [ref: 22/21/12]
1881 Report on replacement of louvre windows in tower of Town Hall by plate glass - April [ref: 22/21/41]
1881 Request for temporary assistance for reports on condemned buildings - April [ref: 26/175/724]
1882 Salaries of officers 1882 - Schedule of salaries [ref: 22/22/54]
1882 Report on Sapsford's design for the completion of the Town Hall by ET Blacket and GA Morell - September [ref: 26/187/1503]
1882 Assessment of 4 designs submitted for offices at the Metropolitan Cattle Sale Yards - October [ref: 22/24/30]
1882 Erection of TS Mort statue -November [ref: 22/25/5]
1883 Salary Schedule 1882-83 - Finance Committee recommendation £700 pa [ref: 22/24/44 (b)]
1883 Specifications for completion of the Council Room, other rooms, corridors and staircase for the Town Hall - January [ref: 22/25/5]
1883 Plans for the erection of the Great Hall and rooms for offices at the Town Hall - March [ref: 22/25/33]
1883 Current salary £700 pa (£200 as City Architect plus £500 as City Building Surveyor)- request increase - December [ref: 26/194/2123]
1884 £800 pa - Mayor's Report - Salary Schedule 1884 [ref: 21/16/123 [891]]
1884 Report on water closets at Belmore Markets - January [ref: 22/27/23]
1884 Proposal for Corn Exchange and shops at Market Wharf Reserve - January [ref: 22/27/15½]
1884 Scale tracing - plan for additions to Refreshment Romm and Smoking Room adjoining vestibule of Town Hall - February [ref: 22/27/18]
1884 Replacement of ceiling of rooms on ground floor of Town Hall - June [ref: 22/27/80]
1884 Scale tracing re platform for Frazer Drinking Fountain No 2 - July [ref: 22/28/47]
1884 Resignation of John F Hennessy, Assistant City Architect, citing difficulties working with Sapsford - August [ref: 21/16/111 [787]]
1884 Scale tracing of Parramatta River Steamer Wharf, King St - proposed alterations and waiting rooms - October [ref: 22/28/57]
1884 Erection of band pavilion, Prince Alfred Park [ref: 22/28/58]
1885 Salaries of officers 1885 - Finance Committee recommendation - £800 pa [ref: 22/29/11(b)]
1885 Re concreting ground floor of Centennial Hall - January [ref: 22/29/6]
1885 Temporary roofing over open space between George Street Market Buildings - January [ref: 22/29/16]
1885 Repairs, painting, colouring of George Street Markets - January [ref: 22/29/18]
1885 Illumination of the Town Hall Tower Clock with gas - April [ref: 22/29/56]
1885 Report on alterations to the arrangements for Mayor's Chair and Aldermen's Seats - July [ref: 22/30/5]
1885 £800 pa - List of Officers & Servants - position, salary, duties - ordered by Council 9 September 1885 [ref: 30/001/094]
1885 Sapsford defends William Cooper, gasfitter, accused of overcharging - October [ref: 26/207/1634]
1885 Finance Committee Recommendations for 1886 - Salary £800 pa - reported in SMH 15 November 1885 [ref: Finance Committee Meeting 12 November 1885]
1885 Suspended by Mayor - November - unauthorised expenditure on Town Hall [ref: 21/17/18 [271]]
1885 Suspended - Mayor's report - Finance Committee report finding Sapsford had carried out expensive works at the Town Hall without getting consent of Council - November/December [ref: 21/17/24 [301]]
1885 Dismissed - 4 December 1885 [ref: SMH 5 December 1885 ]
1886 Salaries of officers 1886 - Schedule of Salaries 1886 [ref: 22/31/6]
1886 Plans relating to the erection of the Town Hall [ref: CRS 141]
1886 Application for appointment as City Architect and Building Surveyor - January [ref: 26/209/0163½]
1886 Re-appointed 19 January, 1886 - selected from 14 candidates [ref: Council Meeting 19 January 1886]
1886 Requests legal representation and witnesses at inquiry into the contract for girders for the Centennial Hall - February [ref: 26/210/422]
1886 Counsel's opinion sought on rescission motion re Sapsford's appointment - February [ref: 877/2/114-2]
1886 Rejection of stonework performed for the Centennial Hall by J Stewart & Co and contradiction of their version of events; defends McRae and Nancarrow - March [ref: 26/211/736]
1886 Painting of exterior woodwork at Town Hall - April [ref: 22/31/33]
1886 Estimate for renovation of Exhibition Building at Prince Alfred Park - April-October [ref: 23/34/b068]
1886 Specification and costings for erection of Fruit Markets in Sussex Street - April-September [ref: 22/32/30]
1886 Details of alteration to tower of Town Hall to deaden sound of bells within the building - April [ref: 22/31/48]
1886 Set of tracings of Centennial Hall lent to Kent and Morrison, not returned, sold off to Foley who refuses to surrender - further action recommended - May [ref: 26/212/1086]
1886 April - re pay - none received since 26 November 1885 [ref: 26/211/814]
1886 Accounts presented for conversion of rooms in basement of Town Hall to pantry and kitchen - August [ref: 26/214/1687]
1886 Report on urgent work done by William Cooper at Belmore Markets - August [ref: 26/214/1686]
1886 Medical certificate - confined to bed - unable to resume work for some time - November [ref: 26/216/2266]
1886 Death 30 November [ref: SMH 4 December 1886 p1]
1887 Widow Elizabeth receives gratuity of £600, 1 year's salary - March, trustees H Westcott & PC Lucas [ref: 26/218/476]
1887 James Robertson requests McRae also attend meeting with Mayor re books of the City Building Surveyor's Department - 20 September [ref: 26/224/2262]
1887 Report on neglected books in City Building Surveyor's Department - September [ref: 26/225/2827]
1887 Discovery by James Robertson of frauds allegedly by Sapsford between 1879-1886 reported at Special Committee meeting 27 September [ref: SMH 28 September 1887 pp6, 9, 12]GenderMaleSource system IDTPER-004009

Plan

Plan - Frazer Fountain, Hyde Park Sydney, 1881

Plan - Frazer Memorial Fountain, Art Gallery Road Sydney, 1881

Relationships

CollectionPeople and PositionsOrganisationSydney City CouncilPositionCity Architect & Building Surveyor [multiple departments]City Architect [multiple departments]City Building Surveyor [multiple departments]Related itemsReport of Finance Committee - Salaries of officers for 1880Memorandum: Thomas Sapsford, City Building Surveyor - Report of building encroaching on streetMemorandum: TH Sapsford - Report - Demolition of hovels and rookeries, inspect water closets, etcReport of Finance Committee - Salaries of officers for 1881Report of Finance Committee - Salaries of officers for 1882Report of the Mayor, John Hardie, on temporary promotions in the City Treasurer's Department Report of Finance Committee - Salaries of officers for 1885Officers & Servants of the Sydney Corporation [names, positions, salaries, duties]Report of Finance Committee - Salaries of officers for 1886Letter: J Stewart & Co - Problems with stone work for Centennial HallLetter: Thomas Sapsford, City Architect - Plumbing work at Belmore MarketsPlan - Frazer Memorial Fountain, Art Gallery Road Sydney, 1881Plan - Frazer Fountain, Hyde Park Sydney, 1881

Registration

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Sapsford, Thomas H