Godsall, Alfred Richard

Alfred Godsall was the third member of a distinguished Toowoomba family to hold the position of Mayor of the city.

His father, Richard Godsall, was Mayor in 1872 and 1879, and his brother Edwin, was elected Mayor in 1906.

Alfred Godsall held the position from 1920 to 1924 and served as an alderman in 1916, 1918, 1919 and from 1926 to 1932.

Alfred Richard Godsall was born in Toowoomba in 1873 and at first carried on his father’s profession as a builder. Later, he worked as an engineer on gold and oil fields in the United States and was in Germany at the outbreak of World War 1 in 1914.

He was mainly responsible for the initiation of sewerage in Toowoomba and he personally negotiated the large financial loan which started the scheme. He was also instrumental in making a start on bitumen works in the city and with Dr Thomas Price as health officer, freed Toowoomba of mosquitoes.

He held a number of important offices in the city and was a director of the Toowoomba Gas Company and the Darling Downs Building Society.

Mr Godsall also worked for the formation of St Vincent’s Hospital and served on the board of the General Hospital. In addition, he was chairman of the Toowoomba Fire Brigade Board and helped in the foundation of the municipal band.

Keenly interested in sport, Mr Godsall was treasurer of the Toowoomba Turf Club for a number of years.

He was also chairman of the committees, which raised funds for the Mother’s Memorial and the Memorial Hall and with Sir Littleton Groom, was responsible for setting up the Commonweath Health Laboratory in Toowoomba.

Mr Godsall died on June 19, 1955 at the age of 82 and was survived by his wife, three sons, a daughter, 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.