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- Wellington Times, New South Wales, Australia, Thursday, January 28, 1932
Obituary
William Prichard Bassett
The whole town was shocked on Wednesday morning when it was reported that Mr. William Prichard Bassett, the well-known solicitor; had died suddenly at his mother's residence in Wurne Street about 8 a.m. People were dumb-founded. Here was a young man, a perfect specimen of Australian manhood, apparently in the best of health, moving about amongst his friends the previous day and night, and yet in a moment he was cut off from all those whom he held so dear, and from his hosts of friends in the town and district. It is just another case which shows how uncertain are our lives. The weak and sickly may linger on for years, whilst the apparently strong and healthy are called away at a minute's notice. The deceased was about as usual during Tuesday, and in the evening, with Rev. Keith Norman and Mr. Maurice Pearce, paid a visit to an old fellow-in-arms, Mr. D. H. Barton, returning home before midnight in the very best of spirits. He awoke next morning as usual, and before breakfast went to the garage to get his car out, but shortly afterwards, as he had not come in to breakfast, he was found in a collapsed condition, and though Dr. Black was in attendance in the space of a few moments, he was beyond all human aid. It was a tragic ending to a young life so full of promise, and to a man who appeared to have such a long life in front of him. It was no wonder, then, that his friends could not realize that his end had come so suddenly. However, he is but another victim of the late war, for, while doing his duty as a soldier in defense of the world, he was wounded and also became a victim of malaria, which was so prevalent in Palestine during his long term at the front. The bad time which our soldiers went through had left their mark on him, though he did not show it, and outwardly he appeared a big strong man.
The late Mr. Bassett was the only son of Mrs. and the late Mr. John Thomas Prichard Bassett and was a native of Bathurst. He attended the Wellington Public School from there going to the Sydney Church of England Grammar School. After leaving school he decided to take up law, thus following in the footsteps of his father, whose office he entered, and he was also for several years in the office of the well-known firm of solicitors, Messrs Beckett and Holdshin, of Sydney.
When the Mother Country called for assistance he was amongst the first to offer his services, and though he was turned down on 18 occasions, owing to his eyesight, he was eventually passed, and went away with the fifth Light Horse and saw a great deal of fighting in Palestine. He was wounded on a couple of occasions, and was awarded the Military Medal for bravery on the battlefield, although he was very modest in regard to his work on the other side.
When he came back he again took up his studies and when he passed his final examination he was, in 1923, admitted, as a solicitor, and entered into partnership with his late father under the name of J. T. P. Bassett and Son, and after the death of his father, he continued the practice under the same name.
In his early days he was keen on swimming, and was a prominent member of the first Wellington Swimming Club formed in this town. He was also a fine Rugby Union player, and in the days of the old Wellington team, his great weight and ability as a scrummager was a feature of the game. He was also a keen tennis enthusiast, and also was, at the time of his death, President of the Wellington Public Tennis Club. He was a keen follower of racing, and was a member of the Wellington Picnic and Turf Clubs. He took a keen interest in the welfare of the town in which he was born, and was for some years a prominent member of the School of Arts.
He was a dutiful son, and deeply attached to his mother, who, we are sorry to state, is not in good health, and his death will be a great blow to her, as well as to his two surviving sisters, Mrs. H. M. Lowe, of ?Yooroga? Obley, and Mrs. Norman Rutherford, of Bathampton, Bathurst.
The body was encased in a polished silky oak casket, and, after a short service at the home, which was conducted by the Rev. Keith Norman, the funeral cortege left shortly after 9 a.m. this morning for the cemetery, where the remains were laid to rest in the family enclosure in the Church of England portion, the funeral service again being conducted by Rev. Keith Norman. There was a big attendance of returned men, and the ?Last Post? was sounded by Mr. J. Whitehouse. The funeral was a very large and representative one, which was a token of the esteem in which the deceased was held by all classes of the community.
The funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs Murray Bros.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1857 - 1928 (70 years)