Biography

Frederick Unsworth (1859 - 1928) was born in Manchester, England. He was educated there and when he was 21 he came to Tasmania.

He first joined the firm of Messrs Huybers & Hammond, wholesale merchants of Hobart. He then went to John Hamilton & Co., also wholesale merchants of Hobart.

After a short while he moved to Launceston and set up a mining and commission agency with David Collins of Evandale. This business did not survive very long, and Frederick Unsworth went back into the wholesale trade by joining the firm of Lindsay Tulloch & Co.

Later he became managing director of Irvine & McEachern, wholesale grocers and wine merchants in Brisbane Street, remaining there until just before his death in 1928.

Frederick Unsworth was on the Board of the Mechanics' Institute for twenty-six years and was president for the last nineteen years. He was president of the 50,000 League, a Justice of the Peace, and a member of the Lodge of Hope for twenty years. He was a member of the Executive of the Benevolent Society and chairman for several years.

Mr Unsworth was interested in a wide range of sporting activities. He was a member of the Launceston Golf Club, he played cricket and was president of the A.B.C. Bowling Club, and for thirty years was a member of the Northern Tasmania Athletics Association.

He was a member of St. John's Church choir, and later the choir of St. Paul's Church. He was intolerant of long-winded sermons and, when he considered the service had gone on for long enough, would indicate this in no uncertain manner. Taking out his large 'Hunter' pocket watch, he would consult it, then hold it up so that his wife and daughters could see it. On this signal, the four of them would rise and quietly, but determinedly, make their exit, the ladies from the congregation, father from the choir.

On 24^th December 1880 he married Annie Knight of Hobart. They had two daughters, Edith and Lucy, who both lived in Launceston, and a son Harry, who resided in Sydney.

The Unsworths lived at 7 Balfour Street, Launceston.

Frederick Richard Unsworth died on 31^st October 1928 aged 69 years. A brass plaque was erected in St. John's Church. It was first placed on the back of one of the old cedar choir stalls. When the present stalls were given, the plaque was repositioned by the choir vestry door. The inscription reads:
IN MEMORY OF F. R. UNSWORTH
FOR MANY YEARS
A MEMBER OF THIS CHOIR
DIED 31ST. OCTOBER 1928

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