William H Gale – first mayor of Cue

Cue was declared a municipality in August 1894, the first election of councillors taking place at the Warden’s office on the 16th of August of that year, when Mr. W. H. Gale was elected Mayor, after a contest with Mr. Frank Begg3. Like Dick Whittington, Mr. Gale has been returned to office three times. On his resignation in November 1895, Mr. O. K. Jaques took up the reins of office and carried 0n the good work inaugurated by his predecessor.

William Hepburn Gale, his wife Mary Ellen, Children from L-R: Margaret Hepburn Gale born 1880, Daphne May Winthrop Gale born 1889 and Allan William Scott Gale born 1883.

William Hepburn Gale, who first saw the light in Fremantle in 1855, is a splendid specimen over 6ft. tall, as handsome as he is goodnatured, his figure is a familiar one in most parts of the colony. Mr Gale’s mother was one of the first white women born in West Australia, dividing the honours about equally with Mrs Phillips, who was born about the same time, in the early days of the Swan River Settlement.

After a public school education at Bedford in England, Mr. Gale entered the business house of Scott and Gale in Geraldton, when that now busy centre first commenced its commercial career. Later on, the firm became Gale and Son, and in 1878 Mr. J. H. Monger joined the business, the name of which was changed to Gale, Monger and Co., Mr. W. H. Gale being the senior partner. The firm was largely interested in the copper and lead mines then being worked at Northampton. With the first advent of the gold mining industry on the Murchison, Mr. Gale speedily associated himself with the fortune of the field and is now a member of the firm of Timperley, Gale and Co., the leading mining, commission and agency business in Cue.

Timperley, Gale and Co. Cue WA

When the municipality was declared in September, 1894, Mr. Gale was elected first chairman of the council. At the first general elections in November of that year Mr. Gale beat Mr. Frank Beggs in the contest for chairmanship for the year. He was re-elected unopposed in November 1895, resigning in March 1896, on account of ill health, when Mr. Jaques undertook the duties of the office. At the last election in November, Mr. Gale was once more returned unopposed, this being his third term of office. He is also a Justice of the Peace and a prominent member of most of the public bodies in Cue.

William Hepburn Gale

William Hepburn Gale was born on 18 Feb 1855 in Fremantle, Western Australia. He was the son of William Gale, of Crayford, Kent, England and Mary Ann nee Scott of Fremantle WA. He was the oldest of six boys born to the couple. His youngest brother, Walter Augustus Gale, was Clerk of the House of Representatives in the ACT.  He arrived in Geraldton Western Australia between 1871 and 1877 when he became a member of the Champion Bay Freemasosn Lodge. On the 4 Dec 1879 at St Peters College Chapel in Stephney Adelaide South Australia he married Mary Ellen Chalmers. They had three children, Margaret Hepburn Gale born 1880, Allan William Scott Gale born 1883 & Daphne May Winthrop Gale born 1889. William Hepburn Gale – Died Sept 1919 at the age of 66yrs.