Sydney Maxted (1845 - 1907)

Born 15 Dec 1845 in New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Sophia Ann (Gibb) Maxted — married 15 Jun 1874 in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 1907 at about age 61 in Waverley, New South Wales, Australia

Biography

Sydney Maxted was born on 15th December 1845 at New South Wales, Australia. He was the second son of English-born George Maxted, a printer, and Martha Spencer.

Sydney married widow, Sophia Richardson, née Gibb, at Newcastle on 15th June 1874.^[1]

He was appointed master at the Protestant Orphan School, Parramatta, in 1878. The inspector of charities commended the 'pleasantly confidential relations' between officers and children and in 1881 Sydney became chief inspector and boarding out officer to the new State Children Relief Board. Sophia, after acting as matron, became a salaried officer of the board in 1884. He campaigned for legislative reforms directed to saving infant life, especially of children born illegitimate: under the Children's Protection Act of 1892 the private arrangements for the care of these children were brought under state control and the board's officers secured improved procedures for establishing paternal responsibility. From 1888 Sydney was also director of government asylums for the infirm (later director of charitable institutions), but had little success in obtaining funds for a rebuilding programme.^[2]

From 1892 Sydney was in mounting financial difficulties, having lost in a mining investment, and resorted to borrowing at high rates of interest; the dishonouring of a bill precipitated early retirement in 1897. Sophia lost her position when he went into bankruptcy thenext year. Both were well regarded among officers of the board, who lent money to Sydney and spoke regretfully of Sophia's dismissal. Sydney mortgaged his pension to pay off the debt,^[2] living in penury and suffering from angina until he died on 10th July 1907.^[3] Sophia and their son and two daughters survived him.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #3295/1874; name listed as Maxled
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} [http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/maxted-edward-7780/text13137 Radi, Heather. Maxted, Edward (1855–1902), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 1986; accessed online 19 Oct 2019
3. ↑ New South Wales Death Index #11788/1907
4. ↑ New South Wales Death Index #11788/1907