# Frederick Samson

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Sir **William Frederick Samson** (12 January 1892 – 6 February 1974) was a businessman and long-term [Mayor](/source/List_of_mayors_of_Fremantle) of [Fremantle](/source/Fremantle), Western Australia.

## Biography

Samson was born at Fremantle, the second son of Michael Samson, and his wife Mary, née Murphy.[1] He was educated at [Christian Brothers College, Fremantle](/source/Christian_Brothers_College,_Fremantle) and later studied engineering at the [University of Western Australia](/source/University_of_Western_Australia). He enlisted in the [Australian Imperial Force](/source/First_Australian_Imperial_Force) in 1915, but was declared medically unfit. In 1919 he contracted [Spanish flu](/source/Spanish_flu). He joined the [Metropolitan Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Department](/source/Metropolitan_Water_Supply,_Sewerage_and_Drainage_Department) and worked as a surveyor between 1918 and 1930. Samson established himself as a real-estate agent in 1931.

His house, a well-known Fremantle landmark called "Samson House" was designed by Sir [Talbot Hobbs](/source/Talbot_Hobbs) and built by his father in 1888.[2] Samson inherited the house (which he had been born in) in 1935. He lived there his entire life and willed it to the [Western Australian Museum](/source/Western_Australian_Museum). Also in 1935, Samson married Daphne Alice Marks. The couple had no children.

Following in the footsteps of his father and uncle, Frederick Samson was elected to the [Fremantle City Council](/source/City_of_Fremantle) in 1936. He was elected to the mayoral position unopposed in 1951 and remained there until his retirement in May 1972. Samson was a champion of his beloved Fremantle, and much like his mayoral predecessor Sir [Frank Gibson](/source/Frank_Gibson_(politician)), he campaigned vigorously for the preservation of numerous heritage buildings in and around the port city, including the [Fremantle Arts Centre](/source/Fremantle_Arts_Centre).

In addition to civic duties, he was a successful businessman and served on numerous Boards and committees. In 1946 he helped to form the [Home Building Society](/source/Home_Building_Society) and was chairman from 1951 to 1974. He served as a councillor of the [Real Estate Institute of Western Australia](/source/Real_Estate_Institute_of_Western_Australia) from 1949 to 1964 and was a board member at the [State Electricity Commission](/source/State_Energy_Commission_of_Western_Australia) from 1954 to 1974.

Samson was [knighted](/source/Knighted) in the Queen's New Years Honours of 1962.[3] He was also appointed the first honorary [freeman](/source/Freedom_of_the_City) of Fremantle in 1969.

As a long term civic leader, Samson had a number of places named after him, including:

- the Fremantle suburb of [Samson, Western Australia](/source/Samson,_Western_Australia); and
- Sir Frederick Samson Park, a 6-square kilometre (2.3-square mile) native bushland in the suburb's centre.

## Family

Samson was the grandson of an early settler of Western Australia, [Lionel Samson](/source/Lionel_Samson) (1799–1878).[4] His father [Michael](/source/Michael_Samson) was Lord Mayor of Fremantle from 1905 to 1907, as was his uncle (Michael's brother) from 1892 to 1893 and who was also named William Frederick Samson.[5][6]

## References

1. "Sir William Frederick Samson (1892–1974)". Retrieved 17 August 2025.

1. ["Samson House"](http://www.aussieheritage.com.au/listings/wa/Fremantle/SamsonHouse/21445). *Aussie heritage*. 2007-02-03.

1. "Thirteen Australians Named as Knights in New Years Honours". *Sydney Morning Herald*. 1 January 1962. p. 1.

1. "Lionel Samson (1799–1878)". Retrieved 17 August 2025.

1. Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages (1855), ["WA Registry Indexes (Fremantle region births)"](http://www.bdm.dotag.wa.gov.au/_apps/pioneersindex/default.aspx), number 2762, retrieved 9 June 2014

1. Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages (1900), ["WA Registry Indexes (Fremantle region deaths)"](http://www.bdm.dotag.wa.gov.au/_apps/pioneersindex/default.aspx), number 861, retrieved 9 June 2014

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Frederick Samson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Samson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Samson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.