William Amed Demasson

William Amed Demasson, a carpenter and wheelwright by trade, was one of Toodyay's citizens who made a substantial contribution to the civic life of the town. Among the many organizations that he belonged to, he is particularly associated with the formation of a branch of the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity in Toodyay, or Newcastle, as it was known at the time.

Demasson was born in Guildford on 14 May 1853 to James Amed and Eliza Jane (née Cook). He worked as a carpenter, wheelwright and contractor in Guildford and around 1872 married Sarah Dudley (1847-1874) of Northam, daughter of John and Ann Dudley. In 1872 a daughter Esther Ann was born. Sarah died in 1874 while giving birth to their second child, a son William Amed, who also died.

In 1877, Demasson and W. Donegan were elected to represent the East Ward following Newcastle becoming a municipality in that year. He continued to serve as a town councillor for about 16 years. The first meeting of the council was held in the Mechanics' Institute building. Demasson was the secretary of the Mechanics' Institute for 20 years. He also became a justice of the peace, serving the Toodyay and Northam Magisterial Districts for 22 years.

In January 1879, Demasson married Lavinia Stevens (1856-1947), the daughter of William and Marianne (née Chapman). The couple had five children: Laura Lavinia (b.1880), Edith Grace (1882) who died in 1886 of diphtheria, Amy Constance (1884), Ruth Marianne (b.1889) and Chapman (b.1894). The rooms referred to were for the building locally known as Dr O'Reilly's house. Their home was completed before the birth of their second child in February 1882. When the third child Amy was born in September 1884, Demasson was adding rooms to the house. It was on a deep block that enabled him to build his workshop as well as stables for his horses at the back. Lavinia established a flower garden. According to Lavinia's memoirs, the front room was turned "into a small store, by making shelves all round, and counters etc… and I looked after it myself with Ettie helping…". and joined it to his house with a connecting door, to form Demasson's House and Shop.

During this time, Demasson continued to work as a building contractor. He won the government contract to renovate the old convict buildings where the courthouse, post office and school were located. In 1887, he built the Old Newcastle School.

Contribution to the town's renaming

Apart from his direct contributions to Toodyay, Demasson indirectly contributed to the renaming of Newcastle to Toodyay. Around 1908 or earlier, he had ordered a French domed ormolu clock from London, but it was mistakenly delivered to Newcastle, New South Wales as were many items around that time. The clock was unclaimed in New South Wales, but chanced upon by John Forrest (then serving in Federal parliament), who knew Demasson and realised that the clock had been sent to the wrong Newcastle. This incident is known to have contributed to the call for changing the town's name to Toodyay.